Monsters of the Wilds
by gabriel blessing
Summary: Song Jae Gu was a bitter young man when he met her, the girl in snake skin boots. It was a meeting that would shape his life. And many years later, the girls of the Wilds would meet him as well. Him and the Monster Lord beside him. It was probably the strangest meeting the Queen would ever have too. But whether the most important meeting was Jae Gu or Alice, well, that's a mystery
1. Chapter 1

Monsters of the Wilds

Author's notes: Not quite sure what brought this one on. Honestly, I'm kind of tired, so I'm not going to go crazy with these notes. I figured, why not just let you the readers take a look, and make your own decision.

Just another little venture into madness. Take a deep breath, and come along down the rabbit hole.

Prelude

Song Jae Gu was exhausted. He had every reason to be.

It had been a hard few months. His father had died, and it had been a death slow to come. For months before hand he had to do so much, helping his father however he could, even if it was just by lifting things for him. Helping his mother too, as she withdrew further and further into herself, focusing more and more on caring for Jae Gu's father and less and less on everything else in life. Jae Gu had had to pick up the slack, caring for his two siblings more and more. They had precious little idea of what was going on, seeing as they were so young, and for that Jae Gu was grateful.

It was hard enough on him, watching their father die. He prayed that those two would not be able to remember it well enough to haunt them in later days.

And all this hardship that the young man experienced was trumped as the day after they had finished his father's funeral his mother had disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a checkbook and a note.

And so, Jae Gu spent the weeks leading up to his first day at middle school learning the hard way how fast the numbers in that checkbook could vanish. His siblings were still too young to be left alone, and so he had to find someone to watch them through the day, and had to manage it until they could make it to kindergarten in three years. So far he had been lucky that he had a kind set of neighbors, but that would change soon. He had to find somewhere with cheaper rent, and soon, otherwise…

Jae Gu shook his head, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to pick up the pace. He wouldn't let it happen. He wouldn't let his family disappear anymore! He'd find some way to keep his brother and sister, would find his mother and she'd come back and things would be better. He just had to keep trying, keep working hard. The kind old man at the car wash had offered him a chance to work, so that would at least help him support himself and his siblings.

He had already lost his father, and may have lost his mother too, but he would be damned if he'd let anything happen to those two.

Even if they had somehow managed to baby speak mangle his name so incredibly that it barely even sounded like his own. He wasn't sure how they had managed to completely ignore half of his given name, and was even less sure how they kept managing to make it stranger and stranger as time went on. First he had been just 'Gu', and then somehow 'Gu Gu', and then the letters began changing…

Honestly, at this point Jae Gu was thinking that maybe they were making a game out of it. He hoped so. If that was what it took to keep them happy, then he'd let them change his name as much as they liked.

Still, the childish nickname lingered in his mind as he trudged with bone aching weariness to his first day at school. It wasn't the best school, and was in a bad part of town actually. It was supposed to be close to a pretty infamous all girl middle school as well. Jae Gu had heard that it was little more than a reform school for female delinquents. Honestly, he didn't care at this point. So long as he could afford the bills, he'd take classes in hell.

And with that ominous oath battling for space against his nickname in his thoughts, he nearly missed it when he came across a body.

At least, he thought it was a body at first. He froze, staring at the girl he had stumbled across slumped in the alley he had cut through. She had a different uniform then the one's he knew girls in his new school used, so he assumed she was from one of the neighboring schools, maybe even that delinquent girl school he had heard about before. She was slumped against one of the walls, hair falling down around her face in a concealing curtain. It was died pale, hovering somewhere between grey and white, and quite long. It was the most distinguishing part of her he could make out, until his eyes managed to make it all the way down her body to her shoes.

'Is that snakeskin?' Jae Gu could only spend a confused moment trying to figure out why anyone would need such long boots made out of such expensive material. They went all the way up past her knees, nearly to the hem of her uniform's skirt. He shook his head quickly, dismissing the thought.

For a moment, he hesitated on what he should do. On one hand, she clearly looked like she needed help, and the idea of leaving someone possibly hurt or in trouble was one he didn't particularly care for.

But, on the other hand, it was a girl. Jae Gu had begun to honestly dislike that gender, ever since his mother left him and his two siblings to vanish without a trace. His hate had been focused on his mother, his anger at her leaving them, at her having forced him to bear the burden she should have been there to help with by himself growing though he tried to deny it. And as more and more time went by, as more and more of the things of everyday life that he had once taken for granted but now found himself struggling almost hopelessly with started to pile up, he had begun to extend that hate to more and more of the gender which had abandoned him.

So Jae Gu wrestled with his desire to help and his wish to just leave that girl where she was to suffer like he had. Finally, he made his decision.

It wasn't right to just abandon her like this, whoever she was. A part of him still wanted to believe that life was more than just a battle, that it was a good thing with good people in it, and worth living. And if he left this girl alone in the middle of an alley, he would be no different from his mother who had left him behind as well.

"Sunbae," he called, approaching the slumped figure, that first look of his enough to convince him that whoever this was they were at least his senior. She didn't look she went to his school though, so he wondered if it was the right term to use. Slowly, he reached out to touch the slumped girl's shoulder, wondering if he should if she was injured. "Are you alright?"

The moment his fingers brushed the shoulder of her uniform, the slumped girl's arm flashed up, grabbing him around the wrist with painful force. Her head snapped up, her hair falling away from her face, and amber eyes met brown.

"Who are you?" the girl snapped, her tone sharp, and Jae Gu flinched. Without realizing it, the nickname his siblings had given him was the first response he could make to the demand.

"L-Luka," Jae Gu stuttered, gaping at the sudden tension the girl seemed to radiate. He felt nervous, and he winced as his wrist started to hurt.

The girl continued to glare at him, before looking away, apparently dismissing him without a second thought. She stood easily, as though she hadn't just been laying against a wall looking like a corpse. Jae Gu grunted as she refused to let go of his hand, pulling the boy nearly off balance. He realized that she was taller than him, proof of her probably being a few years older.

"What crazy strength," she muttered to herself. "To think that it would be found in such a distinguished school…"

"W-what are you talking about?" Jae Gu grunted, trying to pull himself free so he could get the hell away from the crazy girl. She glanced at him, then looked down at where she was holding him, and finally let go with a sniff.

"And what are you doing here?" she demanded, hands on her hip as she tapped her snake skin boots on the concrete.

"N-nothing," Jae Gu stuttered, backing away as he rubbed his wrist, trying not to wince as he saw bruises forming there. What the hell! He'd just been trying to help! What did he do to deserve this?"

"Then why are you still here?" the girl sounded bored, dismissing him completely.

Despite himself, Jae Gu felt a scowl forming, and he found himself glaring at the one who he had tried to help and then hurt and dismissed him without a second thought.

"Monster," he snarled, not even realizing just how much hatred his voice held as he turned away, determined to at least make it to school at time. If he had been watching, he would have noticed the way the girl's eyebrow rose, and how she frowned, watching him as he left, but Jae Gu did not look back.

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu sighed as the first day of school ended. He had done his best to keep his head down, to try to just make it through the day, but even that was a struggle sometimes. He hadn't had any lunch, not being able to stretch the food budget enough to allow it. His stomach was twisting as he made his way to the lockers. He grunted as one of the louder kids with their shirt un-tucked and bright red hair to mark him as a delinquent made sure to bump into him hard enough to make him stumble. He forced himself to continue, hunching over as he walked away from the boisterous laughter of the thug.

He didn't have the time or the energy to respond. He had too much in his life to focus on dealing with his peers. He had to hurry if he was going to make it to the job at the car wash. He didn't want to make a bad impression on his first day.

He had made it out of the school yard, and was making his way down another alley towards his next destination when a sharp voice cut through his exhaustion.

"You." Jae Gu froze for a moment before scowling and continuing, ignoring the speaker. The voice continued addressing him, accompanied by a distinct clacking noise of heavy boots taking steps. "You, Luka."

"That's not my name," he muttered, finally turning to look as the girl from earlier pulled even with him. He didn't stop walking, and she maintained an even pace.

"Then why did you say it was?" the girl asked. She spoke with an arrogant lilt, the tone of someone with supreme confidence in themselves. Jae Gu scowled, feeling jealous that someone could talk like that. This girl, she had probably never suffered a day in her life, never once had to deal with shouldering the lives of her siblings without help. Only those who never had hardship could speak like that.

"Never mind," Jae Gu told her, grumbling, and trying to focus on ignoring the girl. Maybe if he did, she'd go away and he could focus on making it through one more day.

"Why did you try to help me this morning?" the girl didn't seem to get his intentions though, and instead simply demanded more answers from him.

"Don't worry," he told her, his voice unusually dark for him. He normally tried to keep himself unnoticeable, to keep from accidently getting into any trouble. But this girl, she irritated him for some reason, and he found himself acting a lot more confrontational than he normally did. "It won't happen again."

If he had been looking, he'd have seen the way the girl's eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips pursed ever so slowly into a slightly curious expression.

"Hmmm," she hummed, still studying the boy next to her as Jae Gu made his way down the alley. "My name," she finally announced, "is Alice."

Jae Gu, wanted to tell her that he didn't care, but in the end good manners won out. "It's nice to meet you," he finally returned, losing some of his bad mood. It just didn't have any point. Life was a battle, and he was losing it one day at a time. What did it matter if this girl had been cruel to him earlier?

The whole world was cruel, in the end.

"Indeed," Alice declared, nodding imperiously. He noted that she didn't seem to have any problem ignoring the courteous response at least. "So where are you going, Luka?"

Jae Gu scowled, and tried to pick up the pace a bit. He had a sinking suspicion that he might just have gotten stuck with that ridiculous nickname. He decided that the best course of action would be to get to his job as quickly as possible. The girl, Alice she had said, would probably get bored and go away at some point.

Right?


	2. Chapter 2

Monsters of the Wilds

Chapter 1

*Three Years Later*

Song 'Luka' Jae Gu puttered around the kitchen as he prepared for his first day of High School. In the background, he could hear the second hand T.V that he had managed to save from the curb a year or two ago blaring as his brother and sister watched with awestruck eyes at whatever it was that had managed to keep them out from underfoot for long enough for him to finish their eggs.

"Breakfast is ready," he called to the two, and obediently the two managed to make it to the table, though there eyes remained locked on the television even as they ate.

"Luka-Oppa," Jae Som, his little sister whined as she obediently ate. "I'm still sleepy…"

"Now, now," Jae Gu scolded her gently as he prepared their backpacks. They had finally reached the age where they would attend kindergarten, and Jae Gu couldn't help but feel relief at that. He had been able to keep them busy during the day most of the time, but there had been occasions where there just hadn't been money for it, and it had been a nightmare every time he had to leave the two alone for a whole day. It had made studying nearly impossible with the constant worry that maybe this time the two would get into something and hurt themselves, and he wouldn't be able to help them in time. "It's my first day of school too. If we don't hurry we'll all be late."

"Oppa," Jae Hyung at least seemed happy to put down the eggs as quickly as possible. Jae Gu worried that they might be closing in on a growth spurt, and god knows where he'd find the money in his budget for that. "I miss the unnis," he declared. "When are they coming back?"

"They'll be back when they can," Jae Gu sighed, sounding like he was repeating something for the hundredth time and fully expected to have to say it for the hundred and first in a bit. "Now, hurry up and get your clothes on. It's almost time to go."

When Jae Hyung didn't respond fast enough, Jae Gu reached over and switched off the television, turning some show about fighting off much to his brother's protest.

Honestly, Jae Gu could sympathize with his brother missing their surrogate older sisters. It had been a few weeks since last he had seen them, and he was getting kind of lonely without them. Not to mention that for all the madness inherent at the thought, the five women that were so familiar in his house that his siblings didn't even realize they weren't actually their sisters made excellent baby sitters.

Considering just who they were, that sometimes made Jae Gu question just how good a guardian he really was, letting girls like that near his family.

Still, it would have been hypocritical in the extreme to deny them, considering his relationship with them.

If anyone had told him three years ago just what the future would hold, he would have laughed in their faces before chalking it up as yet another sign of the ever present hostility of the world.

Now though, now he couldn't really imagine any other type of life. Funny how things worked out like that.

Still, even if life was a battle, at least it didn't mean he had to be without allies in the war. Sometimes that alone was enough to help him keep going.

That and his siblings. Always his siblings.

For Jae Hyung and for Jae Som, Jae Gu would do anything.

Still, there were times when despite his devotion to his siblings, he really wished he could just wallop them one on the back of their heads.

"Bye-bye, Luka-oppa!" the two twins called out cheerfully, waving as they boarded the bus that would take them to kindergarten.

Like whenever they used that ridiculous nickname!

"It's not Luka, its Jae Gu!" he shouted after the two, and they giggled as they escaped their brother's wrath by boarding the bus. Still, even when though they did it just because they knew that it would get a reaction, he made sure to dutifully wave at them, the two making faces at him from the window as they drove off to their first day of classes.

Besides that, even if he had managed to get the two of them off, he would still have to hurry if he was going to make it to his own classes on time. Jae Gu had only had enough time to stop by the convenience store on his way to his own first day. He didn't have any money, not for something as frivolous as breakfast, but he was familiar with the owner of this particular store. Sometimes he did some shifts there, whenever they needed some serious overtime. The owner, a kind middle aged lady who 'tut'ed frequently and scowled harshly after she had found out his circumstances would sometimes have some left overs that she could spare. He didn't have time to listen to her scowling mutters about good for nothing women who abandoned their children, though to hear about someone on his side always made the day a little easier.

He had been lucky today, and he had been gifted a bounty. It said something about his day to day life that he would call a pouch of coffee a day from expiration and a few pieces of stale toast a bounty, but he had long since abandoned excess pride. He would take what he could get, and he would smile to receive it.

Like his new school, for instance.

Jae Gu wasn't naïve. He had lived a hard life, and had enough encounters with offers that were too good to be true to know that those kind of offers generally weren't true. When he had been approached by someone claiming to be a teacher, and who had offered him a full scholarship to their school, providing he kept his attendance up, Jae Gu had jumped for the chance to attend. They had even offered him a free uniform, which he wasn't ashamed to admit he had nearly wept over. School clothes were expensive, that much was for certain.

Still, even if he was grateful, Jae Gu couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. There had to be a reason the other school seemed so desperate for him to attend.

Still, it couldn't be worse than that all girl delinquent school he had grown so used to. Hellgondo Middle would be hard to top, all things considered. Whatever this Wilds High had to offer, it was co-ed at least.

Jae Gu cleared the alley he had been using as a shortcut, his pouch of coffee dangling from his mouth and the last bits of toast in hand. The road he had emerged on was wide and spacious and rather busy. There were a number of girls in blazers and pink skirts, and he recognized them as probably being members of his new high school by the color of their skirts. It was the same striped pattern and shade as his rather embarrassing tie, after all.

Of course, as he emerged, he had only a moment to take in the scenery before he caught sight of the bike barreling towards him.

He had only a moment to take in the scene, less than that really. There was a long haired blonde nearby him, as well as a few other students nearby, though she was the closest. Coming up from his left another girl in a track suit with wide eyes was staring at him, the front wheel of her bike raised as she furiously pedaled, maybe late for something considering the speed she was moving at.

Then there was no more time for Jae Gu to look. Instead, he reacted.

The toast in his hand was sacrificed, dropped in an instant as his left hand shot out, intercepting the frame of the bike that was about to run him down. He grunted, and had to brace himself, but he managed to hold firm as he slammed the front wheel, which had been raised for some reason, down hard enough so that the pop of the tire bursting was audible.

It would have been enough to stop the bike, but unfortunately physics came into play. Even if he had blocked the hit, there was still a lot of momentum at play, and in response to having no way to relieve that momentum, the back of the bike instead launched up.

The bike, and the person riding it.

"Watch ou-!" was as far as the now panicking biker could get before she was launched from her seat, the frame following after her.

"Cr-" was as far as Jae Gu got before the now flying former rider slammed into him, and momentum continued its twisted course as it launched the two of them sideways, catching the blonde with long hair as the final victim of its evil game. She looked surprised, and was raising her hands to defend herself but she just didn't have time to react as the two of them slammed into her, and they all went down together. The coffee Jae Gu had been holding in his teeth was lost, and also went flying, though unfortunately for the blonde she seemed destined to receive the worst of it.

"Ow, ow, ow," the track suited girl muttered, and Jae Gu grunted as she put an elbow in his side as she tried to struggle free of the mess the three of them had become. The blonde was noticeably silent, though Jae Gu felt it as she reached out, latching on to his arm as she too tried to pull free. He winced slightly. Whoever she was, she had a strong grip, that much was for sure.

"My breakfast," Jae Gu moaned, though he too was having trouble freeing himself from the pile. Mostly because he was busy staring at where the only bit of food he would get until he had finished school, work, and made it home.

His stomach rumbled, and he closed his eyes already knowing it was going to be a long day.

"Oof," the track suit girl finally managed to get free, and she winced as she rubbed her shoulder. "Well, that didn't go on like I planned," she muttered, before taking in the fact that the Jae Gu and the blonde were still on the ground. "Crap!" she yelped, and reached down, helping Jae Gu to pull free. At least, that's what he thought anyway, but instead of helping him up the moment he was separate from the blonde she just shoved him, knocking him back down and away without hesitating. "Queen!"

"Ow!" Jae Gu grunted, his eyes narrowing as he glared as the two women righted themselves. The blonde was still quiet, and seemed to be taking stock of herself. She was dripping coffee from her chin, and her blouse was stained with it as well. The track suited girl seemed sheepish, rubbing the back of her head ruefully. Jae Gu got the impression that he had already been dismissed, and his eyes narrowed while his jaw clenched. Without another word to the two, he got up, brushing himself as he did so. He eyed the toast and the steadily draining pouch of coffee carefully, but they were both lost causes.

'Well,' he groaned bitterly in his head. 'So much for eating for the day. It's not like I need food or I'll die or anything.'

Bemoaning his bad luck, Jae Gu turned to continue to school, giving the two girls the same regard they had given him, but he only made it a step before a new voice spoke up.

"Stockings, one hundred and thirty," the blonde's voice was cool, quiet, and had a tone that mad Jae Gu certain that she was used to being paid attention to. He gave her a blank look, not understanding what she was saying. "Shoes, one hundred and fifty." She had her head bowed, her bangs covering most of her face. "Replace them."

Jae Gu's eyes narrowed, and he felt his teeth grind against each other. What the hell was she saying? That her shoes and stockings were somehow more important than what would pretty much amount to half of what he would be able to eat for the entire day? That this mess was somehow his fault, and that he now had to pay her for being an innocent bystander?

And were her shoes and stockings really that cheap? The toast and coffee would have probably come out to about twenty two hundred won if he had bought them fresh. Where did this girl shop, to get those kinds of prices? With a clothes budget like that he could get new outfits for him and his siblings!

Jae Gu was normally a pretty patient young man. Once, when he had first been learning how to live on his own as the caretaker for two, he would have just paid the two hundred and eighty won this stranger was demanding. However, he had come a long way to knowing the true value of every won, and he had become a quite bit less tolerant for simply accepting unfair situations.

So he reached into his pocket, and rummaged around. With a closed fist he held his hand out to the demanding blonde, who put her own hand out expectantly. Still, she seemed surprised when the only thing he gave her was eighty won.

"My breakfast would have cost maybe two hundred," he told her. The toast was stale, after all, and the coffee nearing the expiration date. He mentally did the calculations and decided that two hundred seemed fair for them. "I'll pay the difference."

In a much worse mood that before, he turned and sprinted to make it to his first day of school, not particularly caring how the two girls reacted.

He could have sworn that the girl in the track suit was snorting for some reason.

*Scene Break*

It didn't take long before Jae Gu discovered just what the other shoe was, and once he did figure it out he realized that he didn't have to wait for it to drop.

It was already crushing him by this point.

"As you can see," the flamboyant man at the front of the room declared, posing grandly as he did so. "You'll have the chance to see the special treatment our Wilds has to offer! You should count yourself as lucky! Our school has officially changed to co-ed!"

"No," Jae Gu muttered, but softly enough that the teacher wouldn't hear him. "I can't see that at all."

As though to drive home the situation one last time, the young man cautiously took a look around him. The classroom was fairly normal, though in much better condition to the classroom from his middle school. The thing which set it apart from his last co-ed school was the male to female ratio. It was thirty to one in a classroom of thirty one students.

'Am I really the only boy here?' he moaned in his head, trying not to fidget. It was hard, seeing as roughly half the class seemed to think that the teacher's speech was just background noise to the spectacle of staring directly at him. Some of the girls sitting in front of him were actually turned around in their chairs, boldly looking at him without paying the teacher any heed whatsoever.

If he wasn't used to being the center of nearly gratuitous amounts of female attention, he might have been even more uncomfortable.

Still, he couldn't be the only guy in the school, right? Surely there must be another boy somewhere in here. Maybe they just had trouble getting the news out, and they had to spread the other males throughout the other first year classes…

The first class was over shortly, mostly an introduction before the school was expected to gather for the opening ceremony. As Jae Gu walked the halls, he felt the tension from earlier growing slowly as he did so. No matter where he looked, he couldn't find any of the other hypothetical examples of his gender anywhere.

As though he wasn't the only one wondering, he started to hear more and more whispers, many of them growing louder as time went on.

"Is that him?"

"That's the boy, right? The one they were talking about?"

"It's true then? We're really a co-ed school? And he's really the only boy that joined?"

"It's strange seeing a boy in this school!"

Jae Gu grit his teeth, and started to walk a little quicker. He had never gotten used to being a spectacle, no matter how much it seemed to come up, and he quickly found himself avoiding large spaces where the other students were gathering.

It was as he was wandering the school that he had a chance to really appreciate the kind of place he had ended up.

The trophy cases were a bit of a giveaway. Especially considering just how many of them there were.

"First place, junior Olympics, first place international competition, first place national tournament…" Jae Gu muttered, taking in the sheer number of awards proudly displayed, each in their places. It wasn't just their number, but the fact that the vast majority of them were first place as well. And that just about all of them had something to do with fighting. Jae Gu bemoaned to himself, "What have I gotten myself into?"

It was while he was crossing hallways, still taking in the rewards, that he froze. A shiver went down his spine, something familiar, something unsettling.

"Alma?" he asked the empty hallway, unable to interpret this sudden instinctive warning as anything other than one of his… companions as he steadfastly thought of her, when she was in a playful mood. But as he looked around, he wasn't able to locate his companion at all.

Instead, when he looked out the window, what he saw instead was a whole lot of students, all holding cell phones, and all looking his way with expressions that reminded him of Alma in the most disturbing of ways. Jae Gu had a moment where he wished that he had a cell phone too, because he had the sinking feeling that something very important had just been communicated to the rest of his fellow students and if he had received the same information he might have a better idea of what was going on.

But he couldn't even afford a normal phone for his home, much less a cell phone.

Jae Gu had always had a strange sort of hate/love relation with the other gender. He didn't really much care for women. One of his councilors in middle school had put forth the motion that he was a borderline misogynist, but that his dislike wasn't quite deep seated enough for him to qualify. The thing was, Jae Gu had a healthy respect for how strong a woman could be as well. He disliked being around too many of them, but he had several notable exceptions to that distaste. He even spent a lot of time around a large number of women, and could interact with them well enough to get by. He didn't much like it, but he could manage.

However, experience with being around large numbers of women had also left him able to interpret the mood rather well, and when he started to note the rather disturbing smiles that many of his fellow classmates were giving him he tensed like a gazelle on the savanna that had just caught sight of the lionesses that were stalking it.

And when his classmates began to spring at him, many of them leaping over obstacles with disturbing ease, Jae Gu felt that analogy fit a little too well. So, like a gazelle, he decided that running was a pretty good idea at this point.

He was just about to take off, wishing he had had a chance to familiarize himself with the layout of the school so he knew where he was running to, when a pair of legs descended from the second floor right in front of the window he was standing by.

For one crazed moment, Jae Gu thought it actually was Alma. It was just the kind of crazy stunt his companion liked to pull. But that moment left as gravity and physics caused the newcomers skirt to flip up, revealing a flash of cute but innocent striped pale blue panties.

'It couldn't be Alma,' Jae Gu thought distantly. 'Whoever this is, they're wearing underwear.'

Alma wouldn't be caught dead in that kind of thing.

Still, as this newcomer whirled, lashing out with an elbow to shatter the window between the two of them without a moment's hesitation, Jae Gu felt that whoever this crazy girl was she'd get along great with Alma. They were obviously both insane.

Whoever she was, she was short, that much Jae Gu could make out immediately. She was wearing her uniform sweater over her blouse, but the edges of her blouse peaked out from beneath it. Her hair was cut short, and was died a brunette so pale it was almost blonde. Strangely enough, two things about her really stood out. The first was the set of tiger ear ornaments she had pinned to her hair.

The second was that she really did have adorable lips.

Any further contemplation was lost as the newcomer's arm flashed out, latching on to his tie with disturbing quickness.

"Freshman Song Jae Gu! You're mine now!" she declared brightly, and then she was pulling, dragging him forward as those cute lips came directly at his own.

'Definitily like Alma,' Jae Gu decided in a pseudo panic as he quickly put his hand between their mouths. He could feel as whoever this strange girl was started to move those lips against his hand as though she had expected to find lips, and then he could tell when she tensed, stiffening in surprise at finding her ploy blocked.

"Y-you! H-how dare you!" the girl scowled, glaring at him as though preventing strangers from assaulting him was in some way a reprehensible action.

"What's going on?" Jae Gu asked, hoping that maybe someone would explain just what was happening.

"Damnit!" the girl shouted, ignoring his question completely. "How embarrassing…!"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off as the two of them moved. The girl had reached out with her other hand, to try and grab his coat, and judging from the way she was twisting she was planning on trying to throw him.

Jae Gu felt that he had put up with the crazy about enough at this point. One of his hands lashed out to grab the one on his tie, holding it steady gently but firmly, and the other intercepted the one going for his coat to stop it before it could get a grasp on him. She was pulling on him, but he got his knee up to brace on the wall between the two of them and was able to push off it to counter her own force.

The girl froze, staring at him in surprise as he countered her, blinking wide eyes in shock.

"No, seriously," Jae Gu asked again, a little apologetically but firmly none the less. "What is going on?"

A tableau formed around the two, as many of the other students who had been charging seemed as surprised as the tiger eared girl. Jae Gu tried not to let how nervous he was at this point show.

When dealing with women, you could never let them see you sweat. They were dangerous animals, females, and they could smell fear. Best way to deal with predators like that was to not act like prey, otherwise they would devour you without a second's hesitation. Jae Gu firmly believed that, so even if he had no idea what was going on, even if he was doing his best to try and figure out how he was going to escape, he still stood firm.

Finally, the newcomer's eyes narrowed. "Song, or whatever," she declared, glaring at him. Her own hands twisted until they had latched onto his just as strongly as his had hers. "I will have you conquered!"

She pulled hard, and even though he had braced himself he still swayed. She didn't seem to mind, and instead was willing to just move closer to him instead, lips pursed as she went for his for the second try. Jae Gu was leaning back, trying to escape, when a new voice interrupted the strange confrontation, causing the short girl to freeze, then scowl.

"Choi Dal Dal. Stop." Jae Gu looked over to see who was coming to his rescue and scowled. It was her, the girl in the track suit who had sent him flying earlier and cost him his breakfast. Whoever she was, the short girl, Dal Dal, he supposed seeing as that was what the track suit had called her, glowered at the interruption. "I'm going to need to take that guy."

"Lee Moon Young!" Dal Dal scowled. "What do you want? I was here first! You were late, so what do you think you're doing?"

"Queen said to bring him," the also newly identified Moon Young shrugged, looking relaxed as she gave Jae Gu a once over. Her eyes raised slightly, as she seemed to recognize him from this morning. Jae Gu scowled, and she seemed amused by it. She turned back to address Dal Dal. "If you wanna question her, be my guest."

"Queen of what?" Jae Gu muttered, wondering just what they were talking about. Still, he felt his tension growing. He had dealt with Queens before, after all, and most of the time they were nothing but trouble in his opinion.

"The Queen," Dal Dal muttered, sounding annoyed. Jae Gu narrowed his eyes as no one bothered to answer his question. Moon Young also ignored him.

"Follow me, Song Jae Gu, or whatever your name is," Moon Young told him, already turning to walk away, as though his obedience was unavoidable. "Try to run and you're dead."

"Lee Moon Young," Dal Dal glowered at the taller girl. "Watch yourself! Being all cocky, just 'cause you're the Queen's friend! You better hope we don't meet in the Wild's League!"

"Pft," the track suited girl just snorted dismissively. "What could a little pinky like you do?"

"What did you say?" Dal Dal shrieked. "You're just the Queen's lapdog! If you wanna die right here…!"

Jae Gu's eyes narrowed more at what happened next. Moon Young pivoted, digging her feet in as she moved, and used the turn itself to launch herself at the other girl. Her punch was fast, and her lunge closed the distance between the two of them so quick the other girl didn't seem to have time to react. Dal Dal seemed froze as the punch stopped an inch from her nose.

"If we meet at the Wild's League, you'll be the one who dies," Moon Young declared softly. Then, as though she hadn't just threatened to kill a fellow classmate, she turned, put her hands back in her pocket, and started to walk away. "Come on then, Song Jae Gu."

Jae Gu hesitated for a moment, weighing the option of whether or not he should put up some more resistance. On one hand, he didn't much care for being so rudely manhandled, and given perfunctory orders from people who had charged him down on a bike earlier. A part of him wanted to just dig in his feet and not move until someone, anyone really, explained just what the hell was going on.

However, another part of him couldn't help but sigh at how familiar this all felt. He was pretty used to some schools having… odd customs was the most diplomatic way he could phrase it in his head. Whatever was going on here had all the feel of one such custom.

With a long suffering sigh, he decided to just go along with it for the moment.

Still, one thing in particular still stuck out in his mind…

"Queen of what?" he repeated to himself as he followed his Sunbae.

*Scene Break*

"Song Jae Gu," Moon Young declared, standing in a slouch as she finished leading Jae Gu to their destination. "You're a freshmen, and we're your upper classmen. Stand at attention!"

Jae Gu stood still, and straightened up to his full height. But he didn't do so because of the orders of Moon Young. He did so, instead, because of whom this Queen had turned out to be.

It was the girl from this morning, the blonde that had extorted change from him. She had apparently changed her clothes at some point, because he couldn't make out any stains from the coffee, but he only gave that a passing look.

What had instead caused him to tense were the girl's eyes.

"You remember from earlier?" Moon Young didn't seem to be the most capable when it came to reading the mood, because she continued to talk in a friendly tone. "Geez, no need to be so frightened. But yeah, this is the Queen in the flesh! Ha, ha!" Moon Young looked back and forth between Jae Gu and the Queen appearing like she was expecting some kind of reaction. When none came she chuckled. "Ha! He's totally frozen up!" Still no response. She started to sound confused. "Hey, seriously, this is the Queen."

Still, the two of them made no move. Moon Young started to get concerned, alternating between looking at the two.

"Hey," she addressed Jae Gu directly. "That's the real 4D Queen in front of you. What's with this reaction?"

Jae Gu didn't bother to respond, but he already knew the reason for his reaction. This person in front of him, this girl…

Her eyes were familiar to him.

They looked up at him where he stood, cold, hard, and indifferent. They were the eyes of someone who had no interest in you, had no belief that you had any intrinsic worth, and that dismissed you completely.

He was knew eyes like that.

"No way!" Moon Young gasped, finally seeming to realize something. "You mean there's a man in the country who doesn't know who the Queen is!" She started to laugh, falling over on to one of the chairs as she gave off good natured guffaws. "Man!" she got out between chuckles. "This is great! What a shock!"

Even as she trailed off, the Queen finally spoke up. Even her tone was familiar to Jae Gu. It was the same quiet air of command that seemed to indicate that not only did she expect everyone around her to obey, but that she would be upset if anyone didn't.

"What is this?" she asked softly, putting the eighty won she had gotten from him earlier on the table in front of her. She moved with grace and elegance, a precision that Jae Gu took note of. "Did you do this without knowing what I meant, or did you know and just treat me like a beggar?"

Jae Gu would have responded to her, but he honestly had no idea what she was talking about. He supposed that meant he was in the first of the two options that she had provided, but she didn't really give him much time to explain. Instead, she just continued, as though even giving him the chance to speak was beneath her.

"Fine. Whether you knew or not…" she swept the eighty won from the table, sending them cluttering to the floor. Jae Gu watched the display, and his eyes narrowed. It wasn't much money, but for someone like him, who needed every last won, it was a upsetting sight. The Queen put her elbow on the table and used her hand to support her chin. "Get on your knees, and pick them up. I'll forgive you only then."

"Oh!" Moon Young whistled, watching the interplay like it was just a normal scene. "How commanding!"

"Well?" the Queen said, giving him the same cold look. "Pick them up."

As she looked up at him, meeting his eyes, Jae Gu couldn't help himself. Her tone, her actions, her eyes…

They reminded him…

"Monster," he said to her softly.

They reminded him of Alice of all people.

The Queen flinched back as though his words were a physical blow, eyes widening as she looked at him. She stared at Jae Gu, and he wondered just what sort of expression he was making as he looked back. Maybe she saw something in him, the same way he saw something in her. Whatever it was she saw, it seemed to affect her.

Without a word, she stood from her seat, and slapped him. He didn't dodge, simply continuing to stare at the familiar stranger before him.

"Hey!" Moon Young gasped, jumping forward to put herself between Jae Gu and the Queen. She looked shocked, and was giving the Queen a nervous look, as though afraid that she was going to continue her assault. "You just can't hit people out of nowhere!"

Even as she moved, the two continued to lock eyes. Finally, the Queen scowled and reached into her purse.

"For medical treatment," she declared, turning to leave as she pulled out a bank note, tossing it carelessly to the floor. "Take it and piss off!"

She stormed out of the room, Moon Young following after. "Song Jae Gu, this didn't happen," the track suited girl declared, frantically chasing the departing blonde. "Get what I mean? And be more careful in the future."

Jae Gu stood quietly, a few coins and a piece of paper at his feet. Slowly, almost despite himself, he began to smile.

"Definitely a monster," he said softly. "But that's okay. I'm used to monsters."

*Scene Break*

It was one in the morning when Jae Gu made it home. The school had been short today, just the entrance ceremony, and afterwards he had managed to get a few extra hours at his job at the car wash. The extra money from those hours would be appreciated.

"I'm home," he called softly, eyes already darting to check the single bedroll he shared with his siblings. He smiled at the sight of the two sprawled out in their sleep clothes. Jae Som had curled herself up tightly in her blankets, clutching her stuffed bunny, but Jae Yung had sprawled himself about messily, snoring loudly for someone so small.

"Welcome home, Luka," Jae Gu stiffened at the voice, a shadow moving in the dark room indicating that there was someone else here.

Then he smiled.

"You're back then, Alice?" he asked, eyes getting used to the dark as he took in the sight of the girl he had met three years ago. Then he frowned. "And how long are you going to use that ridiculous nickname?"

Alice had grown since then. She was still taller than him, though not by much now. If he didn't end up starving it out of him he would probably have another growth spurt soon, and he was secretly looking forward to finally being taller than her. She still had that light grey, almost white hair, though he had no idea how she took care of it so well. He couldn't remember ever having seen even the roots of her hair un-dyed. She was wearing a school uniform, though one from a different school from where he had first met her. And a few years ago, she had added a tattoo, a tribal design that started on her cheek and made its way down her neck to disappear beneath her blouse.

They were all very normal changes in a girl who was steadily growing. The only thing that hadn't changed in the slightest was those long snake skin boots.

Jae Gu didn't know where she got them from, but no matter how much she grew she always seemed to have a new pair ready and waiting. She almost always seemed to have them on, the only times she ever really took them off was when she was bathing or sleeping.

"Of course, and always" Alice answered his two questions, and though her voice was soft, it was still commanding. "I saw to it that they were fed and went to bed on time." She snorted softly. "Hmph. What an inconsiderate man you are, to pass your siblings off on another. How shameful you must feel."

"Thank you," if anyone other than Alice had said something like that, Jae Gu would struck them on the spot. He took damn good care of his siblings, and wouldn't let anyone else say anything otherwise. However, from Alice it was fine.

That was just Alice's way.

Still, even if he was grateful, he still couldn't suppress a wince. One look was all he needed to know that the small kitchen area was a disaster zone. Part of it was probably his siblings, but most of it was likely Alice. That girl shouldn't be anywhere near a kitchen.

"As thanks, I will allow you to prepare me a meal," she declared idly. The clack of her boots indicated that she was tapping her toes, and he could make her out well enough to see her arms folded under her breasts.

"At this time of the night?" Jae Gu muttered, but moved obediently to the kitchen. When he opened the fridge, he found much what he suspected he would.

Alice hadn't even bothered to properly unpack the groceries she had brought over, and instead had just shoved the entire shopping bag into the fridge. Jae Gu bit his lips at the sight, but remained silent.

He had never asked her to, and he wasn't certain when it had begun, but at some point Alice had begun to show up at his house, always bearing groceries that she had bought. Whenever she did, she would demand that he prepare her a meal. She never asked for any other repayment. Though she always made it seem that she was just doing it because she enjoyed his cooking, Jae Gu had long ago realized that she always brought over more than she could eat, despite just how much she could put away.

There had been times when Alice's providence was the only thing he would be able to eat for a day or two at a time. If it hadn't been for her, he wasn't sure just how healthy his siblings would be at this point.

So despite it being so late in the night, he set about preparing something simple for the girl, who nodded regally at having her orders followed. He could set aside some of it for breakfast tomorrow, and sleep in a bit to make up for it.

"And how was your first day of school?" Alice prompted him, and behind him he could hear the steady clack-clack of her boots as she approached him.

"It was interesting," he finally managed, not sure how else to sum up the strangeness of the day. "My new Sunbae are… odd people."

"You were quite excited to receive the scholarship," Alice noted. "You were gushing like a child. Honestly, it was a depressing sight you made. Such a contemptible figure."

"It is a respectable school, and very close," Jae Gu pointed out, ignoring the scornful words with the ease of practice. "Even if it has a few rough edges, if I grit my teeth and bear it I might be able to get a better job if I get good grades."

"Hmph," Alice grunted again, annoyance in her tone. "Why you continue to pursue such a mundane thing is beyond me. All the while, you abandon your duties. Worthless."

"Oh yeah," Jae Gu nodded, remembering the reason Alice and the others had been gone. "How did the conquest go?"

"Another school has proven worthless," Alice declared proudly. "It fell to Granberia's strength alone."

"See," Jae Gu pointed out. "You didn't need me there."

Jae Gu didn't understand the reason that Alice felt the need to go out and beat up other delinquents at further and further away schools, but then again he wasn't a proper delinquent himself, no matter what she said. Alice took her delinquency quite seriously though, as did her four lieutenants.

Apparently making a name for yourself was important in delinquent circles. Alice and the other four even had impressive titles.

The Four Heavenly Knights. Alma Elma, the Queen of the Succubae. Tamamo, the Queen of the Foxes. Erubetie, the Queen of the Slimes. Granberia, the Queen of Dragons.

Each one was a strong fighter, the leader of their own gangs named after various mythological monsters or creatures, a position bearing the title Queen.

And the one who was stronger than even all of them, bore her own title: Alice, the Monster Lord, the undisputed leader of the delinquent scene in the city. There were even some members of the organized crime circles which walked carefully around those five. Some of them have even tried recruiting, despite the girls' age and gender.

"Are the others back yet?" he asked. It wasn't uncommon for all of the Heavenly Knights to show up for some reason or another. Actually, it was so common that Jae Hyung and Jae Som had started to think of them as sisters, calling them each 'unni'.

"Everyone but Erubetie," Alice informed him. "She left from there to take another one of her trips."

"Oh," Jae Gu winced, knowing just what Alice meant by that. "One of these days she's going to get arrested."

"Surely an uncommon fate for people like us," Alice seemed amused at least by his concern. She paused for a moment before she spoke up again, tone serious. "Luka. What happened at school today?"

"What do you…" he began, but trailed off as he felt firm fingers grasp his chin and turn his head. He winced, realizing what it was that had caught Alice's attention. It wasn't too noticeable, but the slap the Queen had given him had left a bit of a mark.

"Luka," Alice declared, her eyes narrowed as they bore into his. "You know this: the only one allowed to do you harm is me. So what is this?"

"Ah," he blushed slightly. There had been a time when he hadn't stood up for himself quite as well as he did these days. He hadn't known how to fight, had been too busy or too tired to really defend himself. In the early days of middle school, he had been a budding target for some of the bullies in his class.

Alice had seen to it that that didn't last.

"It's not that," he reassured the girl. "It's a bit complicated actually, but I had ended up spilling coffee on a girl, and she didn't like that too much."

Alice continued to study him for a moment, before she finally nodded and released his head, reassured that he hadn't been letting others walk over him like he used to.

Jae Gu turned to continue cooking, trying to keep it quiet as he did so. He didn't want to wake his siblings, but it didn't seem like he would. The two were sleeping the sleep that only the very young can manage, the kind where even if the house fell down around them they'd snore all the way through it.

He was thankful for that as he let loose a surprised gasp as two soft but strong arms wrapped around his stomach, and soft chest pressed against is back. "A-Alice!" he whispered, feeling himself start to blush at the intimate contact.

"Yes," she whispered back, though whether she was asking a question or simply reveling in the reaction she got from him. Probably the second one, Jae Gu decided nervously. "It's been a week," she whispered softly, and Jae Gu whimpered at where her hands were straying. "And I'm very hungry…"

"Alice," he blushed harder, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

Jae Gu was sure she was smiling that snake like grin of hers, her lips pressed to a thin line, and her eyes narrowed as she smirked. "Oh? Responding already? What an eager child. Still unable to control yourself?"

He blushed harder at her words as much at her touch, but firmed his resolve. "Alice," he said firmly. "Not in front of my siblings."

Slowly, the older girl relented, acknowledging one of the few limitations that Jae Gu ever insisted on between the two of them. "Well then," she hissed softly, "after I finish the meal you are preparing, we shall have to take this outside, won't we?"

"O-okay," Jae Gu cursed himself for stuttering. He and Alice had been together for a long time now, after all. He should be more in control than this!

However, considering how deviant his girlfriend was, maybe the fact that he could still blush actually counted as a win in some way?

Still, Jae Gu and Alice didn't get to bed until much later at night.

*Scene Break*

The solid 'thump', 'thump', 'thump' of kicks against a sand bag was soothing, in a repetitive way. Each impact was like the beating of a heart, a steady pulse that filled the gym. It was like there was some vast being present, inhabiting the space, company that silently watched without malice or judgment.

At least, that's what Yoon In Gyi, most commonly known as just 'Queen', thought. The gym had always been a place to escape to for her, a place without tutors, or relatives, or servants. Just her, and the beast her own kicks brought to life.

It wasn't uncommon for her to stay up late, to squeeze in her training the only time she could. Her days were usually full of tests and trials, of learning about the family business. Her days were always about appearing dignified, of being the good pseudo-heiress.

Her nights though, those were about training in her hobby, the one thing she saved solely for herself, her only indulgence.

Normally, for In Gyi, that was enough. She could lose herself in the flow, and not think about anything at all.

Tonight, though, even that brief peace was robbed from her.

'Monster.'

That one word, it just kept coming back to her. That boy, Song whatever or other, he hadn't hesitated to call her one. He didn't smile, or ask favors. He didn't even grovel and bow. There, to her face, without doubt, he had called her a monster.

She picked up the pace as she laid into the punching bag. In just her sports bra and a brief set of training shorts, her sweat was pooling around her. But she didn't care about that, or about the strain in her muscles.

'Monster.'

She wasn't though, not really. Wasn't she?

'Thump.'

It had been his fault, after all. He had been the one who had run into her…

'Thump.'

He had been the one that had insulted her!

'Thump.'

It was only right that she exact justice!

'Thump!'

He had no right to judge her! He had no right to call her something like that!

'Thump!'

But he had…

'Thump!'

So why had he looked at her like that? Why!

'Thump!'

Maybe if he had looked angry, or scornful, maybe she could forgive him for his words.

'Thump!'

But he hadn't. He hadn't looked angry at all.

'Thump!'

Why had he looked so… so…

'Thump!' 'Crash!'

Why had he looked at her so fondly, so proudly?

The final blow shook the bag hard, and the strain proved too much as a link at the top bent at the strain, sending the bag crashing to the ground.

The Queen In Gyi panted, the silence settling over the gym strangely lonely to her. Without the heartbeat of her vast friend, the gym just felt empty.

She turned to another bag. Slowly, the 'thump's returned, and she felt more at ease. She had already called for Moon Young, and her friend had sleepily agreed to come visit, despite the lateness of the hour.

Until then, she just kept hitting the bag, the memory of Jae Gu's vocal judgment and knowing look not receding until she heard Moon Young call out to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's Note: And here's the first actual AN of the fic._

_So, a lot of people have been confused by either one, or both, of the series that I'm crossing over, which makes me happy. Down with mainstream Series! Let's get some creative pairings out there!_

_Anyway, just for the sake of clearing up some confusion, here's the explanation I gave on the Anti-Writer's Block forum, where this all originated from:_

_Briefly, Monster Girl Quest is an erogame about a male protagonist that has to fight the monster race in order to keep them from picking on humans. Monsters are all invariably female, and if you lose your protagonist ends up getting raped in a variety of weird manners. It sounds silly, but actually has a pretty decent plot, with involved characters and a real story behind it._

_Girls of the Wilds is Korean, like mentioned, and it's about the main character being the first and only boy in a newly co-ed school that is famous for having a female student population that excels at martial arts. After his father died his mother abandoned him and his two siblings, and he had to take care of them all on his own. Because of that, he used to get bullied a lot, and the students of Wilds High end up helping him get over that, as well as teaching him martial arts._

_And just to clear up some more confusion, yeah, part of the inspiration for this was me wondering, 'hmm, I wonder what Alice and the Knights would be if they were actually human...', so voila! There won't be any secret dramatic reveals where Alice goes snake like and shows off some of the more exotic abilities that monsters have... *Cough*tailjobs*Cough*. If you want that kind of stuff go back over to SE:EGP._

_Also, don't expect high drama or vast epic and intricate storylines. This is going down in true martial art fic fashion: a big honkin beat em up tournament._

_I've never wrote something like that, so it should be fun to play around with._

_And the final thing to note, this will be the last chapter where I even attempt to use Korean words. I've already been called by a couple reviewers about how badly I'm mangling the language, and I just don't know Korean as well as I do Japanese, so to spare those who do know Korean potential aneurysms, I'm going to switch over to pure English._

_Anyway, on with the story._

Chapter Two

"Alice-unni!" The sound of happy children was enough to slowly pull Jae Gu back to consciousness. He groaned, mourning the lost hours that his time with Alice had cost him, but with the discipline of long practice he managed to force his eyes open.

"Awake then, Luka?" Alice's voice sounded amused. "Oh, what a lazy man. How slovenly. Shameful."

"Good morning, Alice," he muttered, finally getting all the way up. "Did you sleep well?" He opened his eyes to a familiar sight.

It was still one he wasn't quite used to though. It wasn't uncommon for Alice to stay the night, and both his siblings were used to her. The two adored their unni, Jae Som looking up to her with reverence as a beautiful role model. Jae Hyung on the other hand seemed to have adopted her in another way. It had only happened once or twice, but his little brother had called Alice 'Mommy' before.

Jae Gu was happy with that. He hoped that the two had completely forgotten the bitch of a creature that had truly birthed them. The less they remembered of her the better.

Still, it was always amusing to him, secretly, whenever Alice did stay over. There was something of an unspoken rule in the Song household, a joke that had evolved from something shameful: inside the house wearing just your underwear was acceptable dress code.

It had come about from the fact that Jae Gu just couldn't afford much in the way of clothes. With the twins growing, he could only afford to get them one or two outfits at a time before they invariably got too big for them. Not only that, but cleaning those clothes took time, and cost money as well. Both of these were things Jae Gu often didn't have much of. Because of that, it wasn't uncommon for the two to run around in their underwear.

Even Jae Gu had resorted to that on occasion. It wasn't uncommon for him to be forced to do the dishes or cooking in his boxers and an apron.

It was in a similar outfit that Alice was currently putting out the twins' breakfast. The sight of Alice in her panties, bra, boots, and an apron should have been erotic. Somehow, on her, it just looked silly. She always had that serious expression on, after all.

Still, Alice had managed to reheat some of the food he had whipped up for her last night, and was dividing it into three plates. The lion share of it went to herself, but she made sure that the twins would have enough.

Jae Gu didn't even comment on the way Alice didn't bother to put any out for him. He just smiled, and set about making himself some of his own. With the extra that Alice had brought over, he could afford to have a real meal today.

"Unni, unni," Jae Som tugged at the apron, giving Alice wide and worshipful eyes. "You shouldn't be mean to Luka-oppa!"

"Oh?" Alice flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And why shouldn't I be mean to my Luka?"

"Hey!" Jae Hyung declared, looking childishly happy. "He's not your Luka, Alice-Unni! He's our Luka!"

"You two do remember that my name isn't Luka, right?" Jae Gu muttered, honestly not sure if they really did. Alice gave that snake like smile to him again.

"Now, now," Alice began addressing the two children. "My Luka can also be your Luka. The important part is that Luka knows the truth about Luka. The truth about Luka is that above all else, Luka is a Luka. Right?"

"Right! Luka-oppa!" the two children grinned happily, and Jae Gu sighed, leveling a halfhearted glare at Alice as she continued to brainwash his siblings.

"Just get ready to go," he told them, knowing in his heart that he would probably be stuck with that nickname for life at this point. At least no one at his new school knew it. "The bus will be here soon." The two scampered off happily, the excitement of Alice being back enough to get them up and running whereas all the scolding in the world from their big brother would normally fail. Jae Gu took a seat at the small table, watching as Alice continued to eat last night's leftovers. "How about you?" he asked, and his girlfriend arched an eyebrow at him. "How are you going to get to school?"

"Oh? As if someone of your level has the right to be concerned for one of my stature?" Alice was in rare form that morning, Jae Gu decided. He suspected that he had only himself to blame for that. After last nights… activities, it wasn't uncommon for Alice to be particularly difficult. He guessed that proved he'd acquitted himself well, seeing as she seemed satisfied enough with his performance to give him extra trouble. "Do you think that someone as pathetic as yourself should be worried over someone as great as I?"

"Yes," he told her bluntly, smiling, and the smallest twitch of her lips let him know that she was happy with his response. He was about to continue his questions, when his ears picked up the growing roar of an engine.

"Oh," he nodded. "You already called Granberia?"

"Hmph," Alice seemed disappointed that her fun was coming to an end. "I arranged it with her yesterday before I arrived."

It took a few more seconds before the twins heard it, but once they too picked out the sound the two began to excitedly chant, "Granberia-unni!"

Jae Gu finished his breakfast quickly, before reaching for his pants and shirt. The growl was getting louder, which meant that Granberia should be arriving soon, and he wanted the opportunity to greet her before he had to take the twins to the bus station.

Because of that, he was outside in time to watch as the motorcycle pulled up. It had been painted dark green, and patterned in a way which resembled scales. Jae Gu didn't know much about motorcycles, but this one looked impressive, all bulky and lumbering with bright patches of chrome shining with a gleam in the morning light.

The rider of the motorcycle was wearing a biker suit, a close fitting full body garment which was also dark green. It had bulges in various spots, reinforced to help the rider survive in the case of a crash. The rider had a helmet in the same color scheme too, which concealed their whole head easily.

Normally, seeing someone like this come up would have made Jae Gu nervous. Both bike and person had a lean, dangerous feel to them. However, he just smiled as the bike screeched to a halt right in front of the door to his house.

"Good morning, Granberia," he said, smiling as he did so. The rider leaned back, straddling the bike as they reached up to pull their helmet off. A shock of dull red appeared, as her hair puffed out but was held back from her forehead by a bandanna, and the rider responded back.

"Good morning, Luka," she told him. Granberia had an unusual appearance, considering that even though she was leading a Korean delinquent gang she herself wasn't fully Korean at all. Jae Gu hadn't known when they first met, but after they had spent some time together he had learned that Granberia's father was German, and had moved to Korea to work for a security company. Though she had enough discipline issues that she had been shipped off to Hellgondo middle, Granberia's personality didn't seem quite suited to a gang leader. She had a strong sense of fair play, was almost chivalrous, actually, and she very rarely actually engaged in genuine delinquency.

Outside of fighting that was. Granberia loved to fight, and was almost obsessed at times at tracking down strong opponents. Strapped to the side of her bike was a long tube, and in it she kept her favorite weapon, always nearby in case an opponent worth fighting appeared before her.

"Luka isn't my real name," Jae Gu sighed, and Granberia smiled slightly at his response. "I hear you had fun at the last conquest."

"Sadly, no," Granberia sighed, rubbing back a few strands of hair that had plastered to her cheek. Carelessly, she reached to the front of her biker suit to tug at the zipper, lowering it enough so that some of her modest cleavage was revealed. She didn't seem to notice, and instead started fanning herself. It wasn't that hot out yet, but spring was definitely in the air. "There was hardly anyone there worth fighting. It was disappointing, truthfully." She paused, narrowing her eyes a bit as she peered at Jae Gu. "Tell me, would you be interested in a match sometime? It's been a while since we crossed blades…"

"I'm sorry," Jae Gu sighed, though honestly he really wasn't. He tended to prefer not to fight unless he had to. "I just don't have the time."

"That's understandable," she acknowledged, though she did sound a bit disappointed. "You take on too much sometimes." Granberia paused, giving Jae Gu a careful look. "If you'd like," she began slowly, "I could take it upon myself to watch your siblings tonight." She glanced behind him before continuing. "That is, if you are not planning to, Ma'am."

Jae Gu glanced behind him to see Alice, leaving even as she finished buttoning her skirt on. Alice had dropped her teasing expression, returning once more to a distant and cold face as she prepared herself for her day.

"Sniffing around already?" Alice noted, giving Granberia a blank look. The biker coughed, looking to the side briefly as she flushed slightly. "Very well. Luka, make sure you treat Granberia well tonight."

"Hey!" Jae Gu protested halfheartedly, but found he was blushing a bit as well. "You don't have to be so blunt about it…"

"Oh," Alice flashed him one more serpentine smile, "but it is too much fun not to."

"W-well," Granberia cleared her throat, giving the also blushing male a brief smile. "I'll be in your care tonight then."

"Granberia-unni!" The biker smiled, looking past where Alice was to catch a glimpse of Jae Hyung and Jae Som as the two waved excitedly at her from the doorway.

"Good morning, children," she greeted them solemnly. "It looks like I will be seeing you later tonight."

"Yes!" Jae Hyung shouted happily, starting to run out to greet the girl. He was stopped by Alice immediately.

"Put on your clothes," she told the boy, who looked down and realized he was still in his underwear. With a blush he darted back in to get dressed. Afterwards, she turned to Jae Gu one last time. "And you. Try not to show anyone your usual pathetic side. Even if it's hopeless to expect you to do so, I would rather you behave with dignity."

"Thank you, Alice," he smiled at her, ignoring the insults in her words. She nodded at him, before making her way to Granberia's bike. She took a second helmet that the biker had ready, putting it on with the ease of long practice.

"Bye, bye, unnis!" Jae Som declared, before Jae Gu made sure to tug her out of the way. When Granberia started her bike back up, the delinquent made sure to hit the throttle a few times, the engine roaring impressively as it did so. Jae Gu wasn't sure how she managed it, but Granberia had apparently modified her bike so that fire would erupt from the exhaust pipe when she really gunned the engine.

So with a burst of flame, the Queen of Dragons roared off.

*Scene Break*

Lee Moon Young had a plan. Admittedly, it wasn't the most complicated of plans, but she felt that was a sign for success.

She was a simple person, after all, and complicated really didn't suit her much. Plus, she had to admit that she might be a tad bit inexperienced with this kind of thing. So, with a cheerful grin on her face she decided to keep things simple enough for now.

It wasn't like she really had much experience with dealing with guys, after all. There were the men at her family's gym, true, but they didn't really count. Those were all like older brothers, always treating her like the kid sister and spoiling her rotten. It wasn't like she minded, not really, but she didn't think that just showing up would be enough to get Song Jae Gu to pat her on the head and tell her she looked just like her mother.

Actually, that would probably be pretty awkward, all things considered.

So, she had decided to keep the plan simple. Four easy steps.

One. Get Jae Gu to the boxing club.

Two. Become friendly with Jae Gu while teaching him boxing.

Three. Establish herself as the most trustworthy of upperclassmen in school.

Four. Full marks in the recently established 'Maiden-like attributes' category that was now apparently part of the curriculum.

'Part five,' she grinned, adding on the hypothetical and hoped for final part of the scheme as she shuffled to the first year room where she knew the only male student in Wilds High was situated. 'He falls in love with me and we spend the rest of our school days in a lovy dovy relationship! Profit!'

After all, if she could get full points in maidenhood, maybe she could even come out of this with a boyfriend too! And before the Queen got her chance as well!

Still, when she finally made it to the corridor where Jae Gu's class was, it was to be greeted by a muted 'crack'. Blinking in surprise, she hurried over to the door to the classroom, sneaking a look in from the corner.

What she saw there made her grit her teeth and clench her fists.

Dal Dal! That little baby mouse, that pinky! She had beaten Moon Young to the punch! The cat eared girl was already in the middle of a demonstration, no doubt trying to woo over some of the freshmen to the Tae Kwon Do club. There were a couple other students, the kendo club judging by their outfits, which were doing the same.

'Okay, Moon Young,' she told herself, taking deep breaths. 'It wasn't over yet.'

After all, she did have a trump card. No one else knew what had happened between the newcomer boy and the Queen, after all.

'Play it cool, Moon Young,' she told herself, taking a deep breath. 'Just play it cool.

"What are you making a mess for, you idiot?" Moon Young was sure her entrance was good at least. "Look at all this dirt? You're really putting some effort into these freshmen." Waving casually, she made her way to the desk. Even though she made a show of looking over everyone, the one she was really watching was Jae Gu.

The only man of Wilds High was sitting quietly, at the center of a whole flock of freshmen girls. That made sense, after all. She wasn't the only one who wanted those full marks. She was relieved that he didn't seem too comfortable there. Meant he wasn't letting it go to his head so far. If anything, he seemed rather nervous, and his eyes were twitching periodically to the door like he was about to bolt.

Good!

"Yo! How you freshmen doing?" she continued, waving at them when she finally made it to the front of the room. "I'm the boxing club's Lee Moon Young. If you know me, great, if not, it doesn't really matter." She brought her waving hand down to slap against the desk as she leaned back. "I won't talk long. The boxing club doesn't need a lot either. In fact, only one member will do just fine. So the girl with the strongest fists, come on up."

Well, at least she had their attention at this point. Most of them anyway. There was a girl sleeping in the back, and another one who seemed more interested in their mirror than the speech, but Jae Gu was definitely looking at her. She made sure to meet his gaze.

"Or," she continued, "I'm fine with a clumsy guy who has a hard time adjusting, and could use a little protection from the school."

Ha! After yesterday, Jae Gu had to be nervous. He had gotten on the bad side of the Queen, after all, and people on the bad side of her tended to end up riding ambulances to hospitals for their concussions.

All she had to do was be sympathetic, let him hide out in the boxing club room for a bit, and maybe talk the Queen down in the meantime. She knew that the Queen was a little upset yesterday, but she didn't seem to be holding a grudge. If anything, she seemed more confused than angry last night when the Queen had called her over.

However, there was no way Jae Gu could know that. The Queen hadn't made it back to school yet, having business to take care of, so he couldn't have had a chance to talk to her. He'd probably been up all night, sweating up a storm!

Actually, come to think of it, Moon Young noticed that Jae Gu actually did have a few rings around his eyes. Maybe he really had had trouble getting to sleep…

Now Moon Young was starting to feel a little bad about taking advantage of him, but when he raised his hand at her invitation she decided she could deal with that. Success!

At least, she thought it was success, until they got outside the class room.

"You mean you didn't want to join the boxing club?" she frowned, a little put out by the refusal of what had been a pretty direct offer.

"Not really," Jae Gu shrugged, hunching over. Moon Young got the impression that his bad posture was something of a habit for him. He always had his shoulders hunched up, and he tended to slouch a lot too. He had a way of shrinking in on himself, and it made him look so small. It was an impression which was only reinforced by the way his bangs fell over his face.

All in all, when Moon Young added it all up in her head it gave the impression that the boy was younger than he really was. He looked more like he was still in his second or third year of middle school than a first year in high school. He had this harmless expression too, always looking a little lost in thought, with a small smile that seemed sad. It made him look vulnerable almost.

Oh god, Moon Young just wanted to grab him up and cuddle him ferociously! It made her want him to come to the boxing club not just for the grades or for some potential boyfriend, but just so she could have him nearby to keep an eye on him in case someone tried to bully him!

Not having any way to read Moon Young's mind, Jae Gu instead focused on the reason he wanted to talk to his Sunbae. "This." He held up a piece of paper, and Moon Young recognized it as the hush money that the Queen had tossed him yesterday. "I'd like to return it."

"Eh?" She hadn't expected that kind of response. "You shouldn't worry about it," she told him, a bit perplexed. "She's not the type that would take it back, and you might even end up getting slapped again." Moon Young bit her lip a bit at that. She didn't want to let the young man in front of her get hit again. She still didn't know why the Queen had done something like that, but she hadn't managed to pry a reason out of her friend yet.

Though the fact that the Queen had called her up in the middle of the night just to ask her if Moon Young thought she was a monster was a pretty good indication how upset she had been.

It still wasn't a good reason to just out and out hit the kid though.

"Well, if you want to, I guess you can," she finally gave in. "Just hold on to the check for now though. The Queen isn't at school yet. Her family always has a lot going on, so she's late a lot. Though you still might end up getting slapped…"

Moon Young trailed off, still gnawing on her lips. It just didn't seem right to let such a cute kid get smacked around. She resolved to call up the Queen and see what she could do to calm her down.

"Thank you, Sunbae," Jae Gu looked up from his slouch, and he gave her a hesitant smile. Moon Young blushed at the sight.

"Hey," she brushed off her sudden embarrassment with a nervous laugh. "All that aside, why don't you join the boxing club anyway? It's compulsory for everyone to join a club, so why not mine?"

"Er," Jae Gu looked to the side awkwardly, a hand coming up to rub the back of his head. "I, er, I prefer not to fight…"

"Well, okay," Moon Young capitulated, actually feeling a bit bad about her insistence at this point. He really didn't look like the kind of person who belonged in a ring. "Well," she recovered, flashing him what she hoped was a cool thumbs up. "Well, if you have any problems, feel free to come to me, Song Jae Gu! This big sister will look after you!"

"Oh," Jae Gu blinked, looking a little nonplussed. Moon Young wondered nervously if maybe the thumbs up hadn't been as cool as she intended. "Well, thank you very much, Sunbae."

"No prob!" Moon Young laughed heartily, and Jae Gu nodded again before turning to go back to the classroom.

Moon Young turned to leave, feeling like that encounter had turned out pretty well until….

'I failed step one!'

*Scene Break*

Choi Dal Dal had a plan. It was certain to work! She had stayed up all night preparing for it, and for someone as cute and as blessed by the gods with talent and luck, and above all else modesty, there was no chance of failure!

"Target locked!" the petite Tae Kwon Doist crowed, before slapping a hand over her mouth. "Target locked!" she declared again, though this time at a whisper.

There, on the bleachers, was none other than Song Jae Gu: the man who had evaded the lips of the zenith of cute which was Dal Dal. It was gym class for the freshmen, but for just about everyone else in the school it was already officially club time.

Naturally, as leader of the Tae Kwon Do club, it was well within Dal Dal's rights to blow that off for more important things.

"Song Jae Gu, I'll get you for sure," the petite martial artist declared, pulling the ropes higher on the shoulder. "I'll conquer you without fail!"

Dal Dal had made sure to list out her plan carefully, and with her step by step approach, she was sure she could capture the heart of the cute little freshman!

One. Younger males were attracted to stronger older females.

Two. Pretend you're not that interested, and stop your greeting short.

Three. Show some form of weakness from time to time!

Four. Love!

It was perfect! Guaranteed to work! A sure sign of her genius! After all, a piggy like Lee Moon Young would never be able to come up with such a well-reasoned attack plan!

Still, it didn't seem to be working so far. Jae Gu was looking at her, yeah, but he didn't seem suitably impressed by her attempt to appear strong. She had found a flaw in her plan already, it seemed. She knew dragging just eight tires behind her wouldn't be enough. She should have stuck with the originally planned twelve!

She should have known better than to listen to her mom when Dal Dal gushed about her sure fire heart capture plan to her! What did that old woman know about what men liked? She spent all her time cooking, housekeeping, and accessorizing fashionably. What kind of man would be interested in that?

Still, proceed with the plan. It would work if she just kept at it. The dating book said so!

"Ah, Jae Gu. Funny meeting you here," she tried to act surprised at seeing him, and judging from the lack of change in expression he at least seemed to buy it. If he knew she had planned this, he would surely look more excited! "S'up?"

"Hi," he waved back at her, still not changing expression. "Ah, it was Choi Dal Dal, right?"

Despite her perfect plan, Dal Dal felt a flush hit her. He remembered her name! Yes!

She had been worried that her first impression might have been a bit weak. She hadn't even managed to throw him properly, after all. Talk about the worst way to mess up a first impression. How was he going to take her seriously if she messed up a simple throw like that?

She smirked deviously at her target, taking him in again.

He was just so cute! He had a boyish good looks to him, such gentle features that he looked like he came right out of some manhua or something. Maybe one of those racy ones, where the student council president decides to help the lonely outcast, and the two ended up together, alone, studying, the president loosening his tie as the outcast…

Focus, Dal Dal! Focus!

She had almost gotten so swept up in how utterly adorable Jae Gu was, in a boyish and innocent way, how his delicate features just seemed to emphasize how much he needed a strong, but also cute and charming, older girl to look after him…

Focus!

Step three, go!

"Oh my, my!" Dal Dal let her legs go out from beneath her, slumping to the ground dramatically. She put a delicate wrist up to her forehead, letting her eyelids fluttered. "T-this happens from time to time. Jae Gu… I don't usually ask for this kind of thing, but could you…"

Oh, soon Jae Gu's arms would be around her! Who on earth could resist the sight of one as delicate and fragile as her in need without coming to help her! It was all she could do to keep the victorious grin from her adorable lips.

Dal Dal waited impatiently for a moment. Then for two moments. Then, after that, a whole bunch of other moments.

'Wow,' she thought to herself. 'Song Jae Gu must be really shy.' If he was that nervous about touching someone as cute as her, it would be fun to get him used to it. She looked up to try and judge how nervous he was, only to find an empty bleacher in front of her.

It actually took Dal Dal a moment.

'I failed step three!'

*Scene Break*

Yoon In Gyi had a plan. She usually did, actually. Being raised as an heiress for the first nine years of her life had left with a pretty methodical way of thinking. Even after her brother had been born and the mantle of inheritor had passed to him she had still been trained hard to be able to support him in the family business.

Because of that, she had a perfectly well defined plan for how the next few days of school would go.

One. Avoid Song Jae Gu.

That was it.

It wasn't like she was running away, or being a coward or anything. In Gyi was very certain of that. It's not as though she would have to go out of her way to keep away from the boy. He was a first year and she was a second year, so they had classes far away from each other. She wouldn't have to do something as silly as dodging down hallways or anything childish like that. And it was unlikely that they would meet through anything other than school. She was the Queen, and she rarely interacted with many of her fellow students, preferring to remain distant and cool whenever she could. She wasn't a member of any of the clubs either. So having a mutual friend or club mate that would end up pulling her and Jae Gu together by accident was unlikely.

Yes, she nodded to herself as the helicopter pulled in closer to the roof of Wilds High. It wasn't running away. It was just accepting a perfectly likely scenario and resolving to do nothing to change it.

Yes, that was it. It had nothing to do with the fact that Song Jae Gu made her uncomfortable.

In Gyi couldn't quite put it in words what it was about the boy that made her uneasy. Part of it was the fact that he was a boy at all.

To In Gyi, men were insignificant. When she had been nine, right after her brother had been born, there had been a boy who she had liked. She hadn't had much of a chance to get to know him, seeing as she was out of public school often, but when the burden of leading the YK company was lifted, she had tried to get to know him better. He had turned her down with a laugh and some cruel teasing.

Five years later, she had met him again, only this time he had learned just how rich she was. He had called out to her hopefully, had tried to pretend that he had been interested all along, and not just when he knew she had money.

She had slapped him.

Just like she had slapped Jae Gu.

She wanted to think that the reasons she had slapped the boy that had been on her mind so much last night and this morning were similar, but In Gyu knew that wasn't quite true. She had slapped her childhood crush because he had been shallow, and vicious, and obvious about his intentions to use her.

She had slapped Jae Gu because he was almost exactly the opposite, and that unnerved her. In Gyi tried not to practice self-deception. If you couldn't be honest with yourself, then you would only end up in trouble. And if she was honest with herself, she could admit that she had gone over the top while dealing with the boy. It hadn't really been his fault, what had happened. If Moon Young had shown a bit more common sense, she would have known better than to try to hit her with a bike. She wouldn't have been going fast enough to mow down some innocent first year, and it had just been bad luck that the two had ended up on her. It was even worse luck that the boy just happened to be eating his breakfast as the collision happened.

Though she still wasn't certain if he had been making fun of her with the two hundred won bit. She hadn't bought her own breakfast since, well, ever actually. She always had servants to prepare it. She had no idea how much toast and coffee actually cost. Though if it really was two million won for just that much, she suspected he might need to adjust his shopping habits. It seemed a bit expensive, just for a piece of bread and a drink…

Anyway, the habits of poor people aside, it was the second meeting that had the Queen deciding to just avoid the boy from now on. She had been in rare form when it came to cruelty that morning. She had thought that the boy would maybe try to argue with her, or maybe that he would try to kiss up to her to try and get on her good side. She had expected either scorn or a pathetic attempt to use her.

And he had been cruel, calling her a monster. And maybe she might have deserved it too, she was willing to reluctantly acknowledge. But it was the way he said it, as though it wasn't cruelty at all. He had said it as though he was praising her, as though he had seen through her attempt to put him in his place, and had been proud of her for it!

In Gyi had no idea how to deal with someone like that. She wasn't used to being praised, not like that! She was used to people complimenting her for fighting, or for her beauty. They always gushed at how talented and gorgeous she was, and the words always felt like mechanical praise, like mere formulas that were being recited. It was rare indeed for someone to praise her for her actions, especially when they were actions like that!

And so with her plan firmly in mind, the Queen stepped out of the helicopter to the roof of the Wilds…

And found that Song Jae Gu was standing there, in a track suit, looking as surprised as she felt.

'Why is he here!' the Queen cried frantically in her mind, though her expression changed only the slightest. Her inner maiden was fluttering about, cursing this ill-timed meeting, but outwardly she barely even twitched an eyebrow. She felt the strong winds whipped up by the helicopter, and tried her best to look dignified as she used a hand to keep her skirt from whipping about. She cursed the helicopter too, while she was at it.

Still, the noise of the helicopter's blades kept conversation from starting until it was gone, so at least she had the chance to compose herself before she had to talk to the boy. He looked a little ridiculous, wearing a pink track suit like that, but it wasn't his fault the school still hadn't fully integrated a male uniform. She suspected that Wilds would have to adjust several other glaringly feminine traits it had before it would start drawing a larger male crowd to it.

Still, Jae Gu managed to pull it off at least. He didn't have an overly masculine appearance in the first place. He definitely looked male, but he didn't have the blocky or rough features that other men had.

She suspected he would actually look rather attractive, if it wasn't for the fact that the last two times they met she had either been covered in coffee or driving a palm into his face.

If the Queen was more expressive, she would have shaken her head to clear those thoughts. It was time to clear up the first two impressions, and maybe start again. She had to maintain her strong yet distant image, and hopefully afterwards Jae Gu would be if not intimidated by her strength then intimidated by her personality enough to avoid her as well.

"Song Jae Gu," she acknowledged him as the helicopter finally pulled far enough away for voices in a speaking tone to be heard.

"Good afternoon, Sunbae," Jae Gu seemed surprised to see her, but he got over it relatively quickly. He smiled politely at her. "Lee-Sunbae said that you'd get here late, but school is already almost over. There's just one more period, and then clubs. It's surprising you came at all."

"Yes," the Queen agreed slowly, surprised at the casual way he was addressing her. It was as though she had never hit him in the first place. "Did Moon Young tell you I would be here?"

The Queen's friend had called her up around lunch, the boxer sounding earnest as she explained that the boy had approached her about returning the check from before. Whatever had happened it seemed to have made an impression on Moon Young, and the boxer had almost sounded like she was scolding the Queen when she asked her to take the check back without causing a scene.

"Uh, no, actually," Jae Gu glanced awkwardly to the side. "I was just up here to get, er, a little privacy." He coughed. "My classmates are all quite spirited."

"I see," and if she wasn't trying to just get this over with she might have smiled a bit at that. The Queen had no illusions about how many of the Wilds were taking to having a boy in their midst. At least he didn't seem to be letting the attention go to his head. Still, despite herself the conversation helped set her at ease. "I heard on the phone earlier that you wish to return the note from before," she continued on with business, brushing her hair out of the way as she did so. "If that's how you feel, that's fine." She held her hand out expectantly, giving him a stern look. "Give it back."

"Huh?" Jae Gu looked confused for a bit, the sudden transition apparently catching him off guard. Then he brightened, and reached into his track suit. "Here," he pulled out the check from earlier, presenting it to her with a bow. "I almost lost it earlier," he added, sounding embarrassed. "I wasn't expecting a helicopter to show up…"

"I see," In Gyi felt inexplicably embarrassed about that. She had wanted to make it to school in time for the spar with Moon Young for the boxing club, and it had never even occurred to her that such a dramatic arrival might be a difficulty to her fellow students. Maybe she should try to cut back a bit on such obvious displays of her wealth? Slightly embarrassed, she took the check, tucking it casually into her purse.

"I may have been a bit hard headed as well," she allowed, finding it hard to make eye contact as she did so. She instead focused on the purse. "Let us both pretend it didn't happen."

"That's fine," Jae Gu accepted the apology. "Uh, allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Song Jae Gu," he bowed as he did so, and the Queen blinked, not expecting him to take her offer so seriously.

"Ah," she felt like blushing again, unused to something so mundane as an introduction. She was far more used to everyone just knowing who she was! "I am called the Quee.. ah, Yoon In Gyi."

She was also so used to people calling her by her title as well that she nearly forgot to use her real name! Just how much was this boy going to embarrass her!

For a moment, In Gyi floundered, trying to figure out what to do next. Finally, she decided on retreating. It wasn't running away, it was just time for her to go, that was all!

"If you excuse me," she finally declared, turning primly to make her way to the stairs.

"That's fine," Jae Gu admitted easily, and if she was more expressive the queen might have scowled in exasperation as the boy stepped into pace beside her. "It's time for me to head back as well. Class is almost over. I'll walk with you for a bit."

The Queen felt like slumping in despair.

'I failed the whole plan!'

*Scene Break*

'Three years of this,' Jae Gu sighed as he made his way from Wilds, preparing for another day at the car wash. 'Just have to put up with this for three years. Keep my grades up, my head down, and at the end of it a decent job with better pay.'

Jae Gu couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was being a bit too optimistic. He wished soundly that there had been other boys who had enrolled as well. Maybe then the attention would be a bit more evenly split up.

Still, there seemed to be some good people at the school, regardless of a tendency for the student population to over react rather noticeably. Moon Young seemed nice enough, despite having almost run him down on their first meeting. She had offered to help him out if he ever needed it, and her offer to join her club seemed genuine and not just some ploy. Dal Dal had been pretty obvious as well, but she seemed like a straightforward type of girl, direct and honest in her goals.

Even the Queen, In Gyi, seemed decent enough in spite of their first meeting. He hadn't been certain whether or not he should return the check. On one hand, it had been a lot of money. On the other hand though it didn't sit right to him, felt a little too much like scorn to him.

If it had just been pity, Jae Gu might have been able to grit his teeth and bear it. He wasn't so proud that he would turn away kindness, even if it was inspired by someone looking down on him. That check would have been enough for to pay for three months of expenses, and if he turned his back on pity he wouldn't have a job or a free breakfast on occasion.

However, it hadn't been kindness behind the unexpected bounty. When In Gyi had thrown it at him, it had been with the dismissal of someone beneath her as her motivation. And Jae Gu had enough pride in him to stand up to that kind of treatment.

Though the thoughts of how much sausage he could have gotten for Jae Hyung with the money, or maybe a new dress for Jae Som, almost made him shudder…

Oh, why did he have to have principles?

Still, it was done in the end. And he had been able to have a conversation with In Gyi-Sunbae as well.

She definitely reminded him of Alice. She had her differences, true, but there was definitely a familiarity that set him at ease in her presence. He had actually found himself at ease in her company.

His mind wandered as he arrived at work, changing into his water proof jumpsuit quickly, the old man who ran the shop smiling at him in greeting. Jae Gu had been working here for three years, and was a fast and efficient employee. He knew his job so well that the owner didn't even need to tell him what tasks were waiting for him, Jae Gu's expert eye gliding over the shop as a whole and instantly identifying just what needed to be done.

Jae Gu settled himself in for what promised to be an average day at work for him, already switching onto auto pilot.

At least, that's what he planned on doing anyway. Any chance of that happening disappeared as two hands reached around him, shamelessly caressing his chest as two large soft orbs pressed into his back. Jae Gu yelped, freezing at the unexpected contact, and he shivered as a warm wet tongue started to trace his ear lobe.

"Hi there, Luka-boy," a husky voice whispered in his ear, and Jae Gu swallowed. "Is that a hose in your hands, or are you just happy to see me?"

"A-Alma," he stuttered, squirming as the hands on his chest tightened, pulling a body close to his back. A flash of black appeared in the corner of his eys as a long, shapely leg curled around his hip, the owner of the limb rubbing it against the side and front of his hip in a shameless move. "Stop that!" he yelped, blushing as he felt something he'd rather not identify at the moment grinding against his lower back. "I'm at work!"

"Hehehe," Alma Elma tittered in his ear. "Well, you know what they say, Luka-boy. All work and no play makes for a sad unni. Why don't you and I disappear into that alley over there and play a bit?"

"Alma," Jae Gu took a deep breath, and then deliberately shook himself free of the grasping arms. "I am not going to skip my shift. I'll get fired."

He caught sight of the owner just as the old man vanished with a blush into his office. The old man gave him an apologetic look, and then deliberately closed the window shades. The older man had had encounters before with the girl Jae Gu turned to face, and he had long ago made it a policy not to be around when the Queen of the Succubae was near.

He'd been happily married for forty years, after all, and he knew when it was best to not be around a girl like this, no matter her age. He'd like to stay married, after all. The best way to resist temptation was to avoid it.

And temptation was what Alma Elma was made out of.

Jae Gu still couldn't believe that a body like the one in front of him really existed in the world. Alma Elma looked like she should be in a modeling catalogue, probably in the section reserved for lingerie. In fact, she looked like if she tried to get into one of those models, the other models would quickly ban together to drive her out in order to preserve their careers.

She was a little tall for her age, yet another of his companions who he had yet to surpass in height. She had an hourglass figure, her bust large, but not so large that it looked ridiculous, and her hips full, but not so full that they seemed out of shape. Her waist was trim, and taught, and for all the softness of her curves glimpses of the muscle underneath was obvious to anyone who could look past her other more eye catching features. She had died her hair an exotic lavender. Her face was lovely too, sweet and feminine, with full lips and wide eyes that gave her an innocent youthful look.

However, there was nothing innocent about the way she dressed. She was wear wearing what might have been a school girl uniform, one that looked similar to the one that Alice wore, though Alma had made extensive modifications to it. She had probably chosen a blouse a size too small just so that she would have to leave the first few buttons undone, her cleavage straining and barely contained by the garment. It was obvious to anyone who looked that she hadn't bothered with a bra. She'd pulled the bottom of her blouse up, tying it in a knot under her bust to display her midriff. Her skirt was also short, though she probably just rolled the top in order to make it that way. It barely reached mid-way down her thighs, and it seemed to be fighting a constant battle at keeping what lay beneath it cover, a battle it was slowly losing. As if that wasn't enough, it had also been cut up the side, revealing the girls thigh all the way up to its hem, showing that there was most likely nothing under there either.

Her legs were covered with thigh high stockings, black latex that clung to her legs and revealed every curve, and on her feet were stiletto high heels, only adding to her height and making her even taller than Jae Gu than she normally was. More than that, tracing across one of her breasts and up the her thigh revealed by the slit were henna lines, dark red whirls and curves that were probably designed to draw the eye to them just so the viewer's gaze would linger on just what they were drawn on. Besides the henna there was an actual tattoo, a set of wings at the small of her back.

Jae Gu was just a bit jealous of the old man for having so convenient an escape. Only a bit though.

"It's good to see you, Alma," he smiled, and the girl winked at him, making sure to lean forward so that her breasts came dangerously close to losing the battle with decency.

"Oh?" Alma hummed, though she was smiling too. "Would you like to see more of me Luka-boy?" It was probably just teasing, though it was hard to tell with Alma. It was only teasing if they didn't intend to follow through, otherwise it was flirting.

And Alma liked to flirt.

"Would you stop calling me that?" Jae Gu groaned, but he was still smiling. For all her eccentricities, Alma was a friend, after all. "And what are you doing here? After you get back in town you usually go and see some of your boyfriends or girlfriends."

"Oh, I saw some of them earlier," Alma admitted, following after Jae Gu as he started to get the various chores done before the shop could open fully. "And I was going to see some later. But I just had to come see my favorite toy. I can get to the others later."

"Oh?" Jae Gu sighed in amused exasperation. "So I'm just a toy now?"

"Always, Luka-boy," Alma giggled shamelessly, licking her lips slowly. "My absolute favorite toy, the one I play with more than anything else."

"Ah," Jae Gu blinked at the shameless proclamation, before flushing, and feeling strangely touched by the admission. "Thank you."

For most, such a blatant statement would have drawn outrage, maybe even anger. But Jae Gu knew Alma better than that.

A counselor in middle school had once told Jae Gu that he was a borderline misogynist. If that counselor had met Alma, Jae Gu had no doubt that there wouldn't have been a 'borderline' attached to Alma Elma's diagnosis as a nymphomaniac.

Whatever the case was, she was Jae Gu's friend now, so he wasn't going to judge her habits. Though that friendship had started out just as rocky as with the rest of his companions.

"Hehe," Alma tittered at Jae Gu's blush, sashaying around him so that she could claim a seat on one of the nearby benches. She leaned forward, spreading her legs so she could balance her hands between them, assuming a pose which was borderline obscene. Exhibitionism was just one of the many fetishes she indulged in, though Jae Gu was familiar with her enough so that he could overlook the position. "So I hear that you had a bit of trouble on your first day, Luka-boy. Did you hit on some shy thing too hard?"

"Trouble?" Jae Gu repeated, before realizing what she was talking about. "Oh, you mean the slap?" It figured Alice would have mentioned it to the others. "No, it wasn't anything like that. Just an accident with some coffee."

"Mmm," Alma hummed. "The ploy where you spill something hot on them, and then insist you help them take it off before they get burned…"

"Not that," Jae Gu sighed, but let it pass. "I've already apologized for it, and they don't seem that upset."

"Well that's good, Luka-boy," she smiled, sounding happy that everything was alright with her favorite toy. "Though now you could always use that as an opening. Maybe by just running into her, on occasion, helping her with various things, until one day it's just the two of you alone in a classroom during break…" Alma seemed to shake herself out of a fantasy, and focused back on Jae Gu as he worked. "If you want, I could help you with that…"

"No thanks, Alma," he told her gently, already used to her offers to help him seduce random passersby. And her requests that he help her in the same. "I'm already dating Alice, and you know she's not the type to share."

"Oh?" Alma seemed amused by his declaration, and Jae Gu corrected himself.

"With anyone but you four, that is," he corrected himself.

"She is rather generous, when it comes to her cute little subordinates," Alma admitted agreeably. She stood, twirling playfully around him, the spins wreaking havoc on her skirt. "But I think our dear Monster Lord might be a bit more adventurous than you give her credit for!"

"Maybe," Jae Gu admitted, blushing slightly. Some of the things Alice and him got up to were proof enough that his girlfriend was into some of her own unusual fetishes. "But that doesn't mean I have to go looking for trouble. I already have her and you four as well. Why would I need anyone else?"

He was never certain just how it had happened. He and Alice had gotten together fairly early on, after some of the more unusual events in middle school occurred. Maybe it was the fact that Alice really was into some odd things, or maybe it was just that her and the Heavenly Knights were close, good friends, but when Alice had brought up sharing him…

Whatever. However it had happened, it had happened, and Jae Gu didn't mind. He was close with the Knights too. That didn't mean he was going to go out and start hitting on everything.

It just meant that he shared bit more with his friends then most friends did.

"Oh dear," Alma didn't have any sense of modesty, but to hear her dear Jae Gu say something like that was enough for even her to blush. "What a sweet little boy!" She began to breathe a little harder, all too familiar feelings starting to rise in her. "Tell me, Luka-boy, are you sure that you don't want to slip off for a moment? I'll be fast, I promise."

"No, Alma," Jae Gu turned her down, but gently. "I really do have to work."

"Alas, I am betrayed," Alma laughed despite her words. It wasn't the first time that he had turned her down, after all. "How about later tonight then?"

"That's," Jae Gu began, before remembering this morning. "Actually, Granberia is going to be there tonight."

"Curses," Alma laughed again. Just because they were comrades didn't mean that all the Heavenly Knights shared Alma's stance on intimacy. "Foiled again. Unless you want to help me get past that prudish dragon girl's inhibitions?"

"Alma," Jae Gu gave her a patient look, and she giggled again.

"Well, looks like I'll have to wait a bit before playing with my favorite toy again," she gave in, shrugging as she did so. She was already reaching for her cellphone, flipping through the long list of numbers of possible partners. She was already feeling horny, so it would have to be one of the closer ones, otherwise she might have to take a break on the way there to calm herself down.

"Sorry," Jae Gu did feel a little bad about turning her down like that. He hesitated, blushing a bit as he came to a decision. "I might be able to take a little time off on Sunday," he finally offered. "I could probably get the manager to let me take a longer lunch."

"Mmm, you sweetie," Alma Elma beamed happily at her favorite toy. "Deal. Now, I think it's time for me to be off." She turned to leave, her hips swaying deliberately as she did so. When she reached the exit to the little alcove of the car wash, she paused, giving Jae Gu one more tempting glance. "Unless you want me to help you out…"

"No," Jae Gu denied instantly, remembering the last time she had offered to do that. "Remember what happened last time."

Having an exhibitionist in a white shirt with nothing on underneath while working with water had been bad enough. Add in the length of her skirt, a similar lack of undergarments in that area, and the way she had to bend or lean forward to wash and they had very nearly gotten the old man arrested for running a shady operation.

"I know," Alma gave him another wicked grin. "It was a lot of fun! Bye-bye, Luka-boy!"

Jae Gu watched her as she left. Everyone watched Alma Elma when she left, after all.

Then, with a rueful grin, he went back to work.

"That girl there is trouble," the old man told him, after he had ascertained that the young temptress was really gone. He was flushing slightly, and looking embarrassed at himself. Jae Gu didn't blame him. Considering that Alma Elma had hit on even him more than once, and how the debacle where she had volunteered to help had gone, the old man had every right to want to avoid the girl.

"Absolutely," Jae Gu agreed with a nod. Still, he gave the old man a measuring look as he tried to figure out the best way to bring up what he wanted to talk about next. "Um Sir, this weekend; about my lunch break…"

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu was greeted by a familiar sound when he finally made it home for the night. It was late again, though not as late as last night. The old man at the car wash had sent him home early today, saying that he should get some rest. Jae Gu wanted to protest, more than willing to work as many hours as he could. He needed the money, after all, and every hour on the clock was another meal, another repair, another bill that was waiting for him at home.

But when he nearly aimed a hose at an open window of a customer because he was yawning so hard he couldn't see, even Jae Gu had to admit that he needed some rest.

He was exhausted when he finally made it back, and it took him a moment to actually identify the sound that greeted him, a repetitive swishing noise. In the end, it was thanks to the bike parked in front of his gate which provided him the clue he needed to make the connection.

"Hey, Granberia," he grunted, shouldering open the door and looking in on the courtyard to be greeted with a familiar sight.

"Good evening, Luka," the biker girl grunted, barely even pausing in her practice as she continued to swing the long lead pipe that she used in fights. "You're home early. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just tired," Jae Gu didn't have the energy to even try to correct his name this time. "Did they give you any trouble?" Judging from how quiet it was he could guess his siblings were already in bed at this point.

"No," Granberia grunted again, still swinging the lead pipe. It reminded Jae Gu of scenes from movies where sword users practiced lines or drills or something, but he had no idea if Granberia actually practiced some sort of style, was just imitating it because she'd seen it done before, or if she honestly did it just because she felt it was the best work out she could get. "They joined me for a bit of training, after they ate, and then they had their baths and went to bed."

"Good," Jae Gu nodded. Jae Som and Jae Hyung loved all their unnis, though whichever one they were with tended to be the one they imitated the most at the time. Granberia might call what the twins did when she was watching them 'training' but mostly it just involved them doing a few minor exercises before it degenerated into them running around the older girl's feet playing as she continued on with her workout.

"You do look tired," Granberia took one final swing, then either reached the end of her workout or just cut it off so she could turn to face him. She frowned lightly, eyes narrowing as she took in his appearance. "So there is a mark," she muttered, sounding annoyed.

"Did Alice tell everyone about that?" Jae Gu muttered, giving an exasperated sigh as he did so. "It's nothing, really. Just a misunderstanding."

Granberia tapped her pipe on her shoulders, giving Jae Gu a careful look, one he returned tiredly back. She had shed her biker outfit for what she normally wore underneath it: a dark sports bra and a rather brief set of workout shorts. She typically didn't bother with much else, seeing as it would just make her biker suit hotter and more uncomfortable to wear more. It fit in with the unspoken rule of the Song house, but honestly it wouldn't have looked too out of place in just about any gym either.

Still, it left a lot of her skin revealed, and Jae Gu couldn't help the normal disbelief at just how tough Granberia really was. She wasn't bulky or anything, but just about every inch of her had lean, corded muscles clearly evident. This was a woman dedicated to fighting, and to being strong enough to win those fights.

The number of people who had ever defeated her could be counted on one hand, after all.

"If you say so," Granberia finally allowed, shaking her head as she did so. He was thankful that she wouldn't make a big deal of it. She seemed to take a moment to consider something, before finally shaking her head. "Luka, I saved some dinner for you. Eat it and then go to bed. I'll take care of the laundry tonight."

"Are you sure?" he asked, though inside he was thankful for the offer. A good night's sleep would do him a lot of good. But still, it seemed rude to just take advantage of her to look after his siblings, then do all the chores as well, and him not do anything to repay her. She hadn't been thinking about doing his laundry when she asked if she could be here tonight, after all.

Granberia seemed to realize his internal struggle, and gave him a firm smile. "It's fine," she reassured him firmly. "Your health is more important, and you should do more to look after it." She gave herself a brief look as well, and then closed her eyes, flushing slightly. "I will take the opportunity to clean up as well before I join you."

Internally Jae Gu sighed in relief. He had nothing against being with her, if that's what she wanted, but then again Granberia was one of the least demanding out of his companions. She might try to use the sacrifice as a way to try and convince him to have a match with her sometime, but she would wait until he had time for that kind of thing.

"Thank you, Granberia," he said, and meant it. The flush on Granberia's face grew a bit, but she gave him a satisfied smile as she nodded.

Jae Gu was happy to slide out of his uniform before handing it to her as he made his way to the kitchen area. True to the dragon girl's words there was a plate of food ready for him, and he fell to it gratefully, even as the sound of running water came from outside. The sound of running water and soft grunts was with him, all throughout his meal, and after he was done he barely had the energy to clean the plate before collapsing onto his bed. The noises were soothing, but as tired as he was, anything would be a lullaby at this point

Sometimes he wished he could afford a place with a real bathroom in it. If he did, then he wouldn't be forced to clean himself and his siblings in a wash bin using the outside pump…

He woke up with a start, not even knowing when he had fallen asleep. Beside him, he could feel something warm, something that wasn't quite soft but wasn't quite hard either. He grunted softly, still half asleep, and in his semi-awake state he finally managed to identify just was pressing against his back, wrapped around him, curling behind his head and breathing softly in his ears.

"Granberia," he muttered, feeling the warmth of the woman behind him. It was like lying next to a granite statue wrapped in a thin layer of velvet. He could tell that even if he still had his underwear on, the woman behind him was nude. "Not in… front of the twins…"

"Shhh," the Queen of Dragons shushed him, making no advances even if she was naked. "I had to wash my clothes as well. I will wake early and dress before they can see me. Just sleep, Luka."

"Name's… not… Luka…" Despite his protest, Jae Gu fell asleep, comfortable and secure in the arms of one he trusted.


	4. Chapter 4

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's Notes: Someone noted I'm really on a roll with getting these chapters out, and made a joke about me having a stock of the story. They weren't too far off really. I'd been toying with this idea for a while now. I wanted to write a story where Alice and the Knights were reinvented as a human. I actually toyed with the idea of doing a MGQXInfinite Stratos cross, with Ichika doing what Jae Gu is in this one. In the end, I let the idea slide for a bunch of reasons, but the premise held: a humanization of the five in a harem based series._

_Then I found GotW, and it just kind of clicked._

_Anyway, since I played with the idea for a while, I had a pretty good idea how to change the monster five to be human, and yet still manage to hold true to their core personalities, making them identifiable as the original characters and not just OC's with inconvenient names._

_Actually, most of the story so far has just been an excuse for me to write the monster five as humans. With this chapter, all the original MGQ female protagonists have been introduced. Originally, and this is kind of embarrassing, but just about every chapter so far had to be edited heavily because I was over introducing the Heavenly Knights. I originally had introduction scenes that if this were a movie would have been one of those 70 style blaring screens where the character gets highlighted by psychedelic lights and has all the important information about them inscribed in a bullet format whenever they first show up._

_I decided to go about it a bit more subtly than that, and thus I have a massive sheet of deleted back story info. Let me know how you think of the last of the Knights. Did I make them human without sacrificing their essential characters?_

_Curse my writer's soul for forcing me into this quandary!_

_Anyway, a BIG thanks to some of the reviewers for giving me a brief rundown on some basic Korean honorifics. Thanks to their clear and concise efforts, I feel confident to use the most cursory of Korean phrases. Like another reviewer noted, if I cut all Korean off it wouldn't really feel like this story took place in Korea. I'll try and just use it for flavor, but if I screw up, just give it a condescending chuckle, note it in the review, and try to keep enjoying the story._

_Now that the introductions are done, the next chapter can have actual plot! And... (drum roll) character development! I think I've been writing In Flight for to long. I can't even do a simple fighter fic without adding in characterization..._

Chapter Three

Jae Gu hurried, not sure whether or not he would be able to make it to school in time. He was glad that Wilds High was only about a five minute jog, because if it was any further away he would almost certainly get kicked out for being tardy for first period every day.

Initially, he had though that five minutes would be enough, and on paper it was. He should have more than enough time to make it from his house to the school. But that was only on paper. Reality was always a bit more complicated.

He cursed the kindergarten and their bus driver who only had the loosest interpretation of the word 'schedule'. You'd think that someone who was part of an institution that would be driving the most fundamental of learning into the minds of the youngest of children would take more effort to keep to their time tables, but no, it seemed the bus driver showed up whenever they felt they wanted to.

Jae Gu sincerely hoped it was just a case of it still being early in the year, and that maybe some of the other parents had just had some initial trouble getting their kids out on time, or maybe just a few scenes where the children had been reluctant to leave their parents behind and had to be comforted first.

Granberia had done so well this morning too, helping to get Jae Hyung and Jae Som ready in time. She had gotten up early enough to get changed before they could see her in that undressed state, had helped with the dishes, had even yelped Jae Som dress for that matter. The delinquent biker girl tried her hardest to be a good role model for the two whenever she was around, and Jae Gu was thankful for that.

If he wasn't so certain that showing up on the back of a bike with flames pouring from its exhaust pipe would raise the eyes of teachers and put the twins in an unpleasant light, Jae Gu would have had no problem letting Granberia take the two to school like she had offered.

If the bus driver was consistently late enough to make Jae Gu sure he was going to get a tardy mark, then caution be damned, he would take her up on the offer daily if he needed to.

Still, he was doing his best to make sure he would arrive if not on time than at least with enough time to find a wall to jump in order to make it on campus.

At least, that was the plan, until he suddenly felt a strong hand reach out of an alley, grab his bicep with painful force, and pull him hard enough to nearly yank him off his feet.

Jae Gu yelped, but even as he was tumbling he planted his feet, getting his center of balance back. He twisted, pulling free of the hand grabbing him, and even as he straightened both arms were coming up, clenching into fists as he prepared himself to…

"Luka," the flat voice of his assaulter cut through his preparations, making him pause. "Come along."

"Erubetie?" he blinked, staring at the girl in front of him and receiving only the flattest of looks back. "I thought you were on a trip."

"I was," the soft, deep contralto of the Queen of Slimes greeted his ears. "But their security was too good. I need to get a better set of wire clippers, and I will have to stock up on more spray paint." The speaker paused, eyes narrowing into a vicious scowl. "Those bastards. I might need a new knife…"

"Erubetie," Jae Gu cut in, definitely worried about what his temperamental companion was contemplating. "What are you planning?"

Erubetie paused, giving him a sharp look, before apparently understanding his concern. "For the fuel lines," she explained flatly. "Not for their throats." Jae Gu felt a little better after hearing that, but Erubetie continued in a mumble. "Not yet anyway."

"Please don't commit murder, Erubetie," Jae Gu begged fervently. "Just the fuel lines."

The girl before him snorted, still scowling, but Jae Gu rarely ever saw her with any other expression, so he paid it no mind.

Erubetie looked, well, dirty was the first word that came to Jae Gu's mind when he tried to categorize her features. Her hair was long, and it had been kinked into a forest of dread locks, some spilling over her shoulder and face while most went tumbling down her back. She was roughly the same size as Jae Gu, though slimmer in the shoulders. Her body wasn't as lush as Alma Elma, or as well muscled as Granberia, though she was attractively built and it wasn't hard to tell from her grip that she was stronger than she looked.

What stood out most about her was the smell though. She smelled like a mix between something that might be found near a drainage ditch and something woodsy that might come out of a nature oriented perfume shop.

It didn't really surprise Jae Gu, seeing as he knew what the girl before him had most likely been doing. In fact, he had a fair idea just why she had stopped him in the first place.

"I promise nothing," Erubetie declared, tossing her head to the side to clear a swathe of dreads that had fallen to cover her eye. It was an unsuccessful motion, but it did reveal the tattoo on her face. She had more of them, starting on the cheek like Alice's and moving down her neck to disappear beneath her shirt. She was wearing a school uniform blouse, but only barely. It was a size too large for her, and she had only bothered to do up one of the buttons around the middle. She had her free arm folded under her breasts with the hand clutching the other arms elbow, and beneath the shirt she was wearing a blue swim suit top, one that looked like it was meant to be more functional than tempting.

Besides the shirt, Erubetie had apparently decided to mix and match bits of her uniform. She was wearing the bottom of what was probably a school gym suit, baggy pants she had again apparently gotten in a size to large, and they barely managed to hang off her hips with the help of a length of hemp rope that was doing duty as a belt. They sat low enough on her that it was easy to see the matching swim suit bottom that she was also wearing. When it came to her foot wear, she had abandoned any pretense of conforming to school rules, and had on a set of crocs, the rubber sandal like shoes a brilliant blue as well.

"That's the best I can hope for," Jae Gu acknowledged Erubetie's noncommittal words as probably all he could hope to get out of her. "So," he continued, giving Erubetie a confused look. "What are you doing here at this time of the day?"

Erubetie had school in the same place as the rest of the the Heavenly Knights and Alice, Hellgondo High. The Hellgondo was a ladder school, a series of schools which were funded by the government and acted as both an attempt at a reform institution and filing place for trouble-making young women. It wasn't uncommon for someone to find themselves shuffled into the institution early and then spend the rest of their school years in the same system. It had become a much more peaceful place as of late, a tentative cease fire having been managed by all the competing gangs, but it was a more than casual distance from where Jae Gu himself lived and went to school.

If Erubetie was here, she must be here for a reason. Add in that she had deliberately stopped him on the way to class…

"I'm going to be late!" Jae Gu yelped as he remembered just what he had been doing a second ago, turning to resume his desperate rush to get to class, but again he was brought up short as Erubetie latched onto his arm, and this time Jae Gu wasn't able to pull free.

"There's no time for that useless place," Erubetie told him in that same monotone she favored. "Come along. There's something more important to take care of."

"Not everyone thinks school is useless," Jae Gu pointed out, tugging halfheartedly to try and escape her grasp. He knew it was mostly pointless to try at this point. Unless he was to put some serious effort into it, it was next to impossible to escape the Queen of Slime once she had you in her grasp. "And what do you need my help for?"

He had a good idea just what would cause Erubetie to look for him to demand his help. So he wasn't surprised in the least at her response.

"Some bastard dumped their throw away furniture into the waterway," Erubetie's voice didn't get louder, but it definitely held a hint of anger bordering on rage. "Those polluting, careless people. As if it wasn't enough that they have to cut down forest ranges, and shamelessly carve open mountains to strip mine them, they also have the gall to just casually toss the results of their raping of nature into the already corrupted water ecosystems of the city. Just how much will be enough…!"

"Calm down, Erubetie," Jae Gu interrupted her, holding his hands up soothingly as he cut off an all too familiar rant.

Jae Gu had heard stories before, of extreme environmental activists and how they would sometimes go to unbelievable lengths in order to try and protect nature from human expansion or resource mining. He had heard stories of some of the brutal measures those kinds of activists would take, acts which bordered on terrorism in nature.

He hadn't really understood what that meant, had thought the stories were exaggerations and that people really didn't do that kind of thing, until he had met Erubetie. She had done things that would fit right in with those stories.

'My friend is probably going to be an Eco-terrorist someday,' he thought to himself, slightly worried for the girl clutching his wrist. She had already started taking cross country trips to deliberately sabotage construction sites that were planned in otherwise untouched areas, putting rice in gas tanks and things like that.

Erubetie didn't seem to really calm down, but the environmentalist did take a deep breath and cut off her rant. After several more breaths, when she resumed speaking she was back in her deep monotone. "Anyway," she continued. "Some of the furniture is too big and the mattress has absorbed enough water that it's too heavy for me to move alone. So. Come with me, Luka."

"But," he began, trying to protest, but distantly he heard the ring of the school bells as he officially became late to class for the second day of school.

"There," Erubetie also heard the bell. "You're already late, so you can help me first."

"What kind of logic is that?" Jae Gu grumbled, but he did think about it. He was late already, and it was Erubetie asking. None of the other Knights or Alice were really that interested in helping the environmentalist whenever she needed a hand. They all had their own hobbies and plans. Alice would sometime give a hand, but besides her it was usually Jae Gu who helped the most. He didn't always have time, but when he did he would help with what he could. Erubetie had taken to coming to him immediately whenever she needed assistance with that kind of thing, and he didn't want to turn her down out of hand.

"The best kind of logic," Erubetie answered him blankly, probably not even realizing it was a rhetorical question. "Now, come alon…."

Jae Gu glanced at her when she started trailing off, and he winced as the grip on his arm started to tighten. Her expression had changed into a scowl, and he could see her jaw clenching as she looked past him. Nervously, he followed her gaze and caught sight of another member of Wilds, also apparently late, as she ran towards the gate. The girl had apparently stopped to pick up some breakfast, and even as he watched he saw the innocent bystander crumple a can that had once had coffee in it, tossing it negligently behind her as she sprinted. Jae Gu saw another bit of litter a bit further behind, the plastic wrapper to some kind of snack.

"That bitch," Erubetie growled in her low voice, and started to stalk forward, not even realizing she was still latched on to Jae Gu. The boy instantly coughed loudly, twisting until he could get a hold of the environmentalist's arm as well, tugging gently but firmly as he managed to pull the enraged girl away from her future victim.

"Well," he declared in a loud stage voice, and Erubetie blinked, apparently coming back from some kind of rage induced internal rant as she gave him a blank look. "That furniture isn't going to clean up itself. Man, some people are so careless. Wouldn't you agree, Erubetie?"

"Yes," the Queen of Slime agreed slowly, before her eyes narrowed. "With all the people shamelessly polluting, it's a miracle that there is any natural beauty left in the world. Just yesterday I read that YK Corporation alone is responsible for…" Successfully distracted, Erubetie settled on one of her customary rages, and this time Jae Gu let her continue uninterrupted.

Jae Gu decided that it would be alright to be late, just this once. Better he spend some time in ditch water than one of his classmates gets maimed by an enraged activist.

*Scene Break*

"It's just one day," Jae Gu reassured himself softly, as he slipped onto the grounds of Wilds High. He tried his best to remain unnoticed, going in over the back wall rather than the front, but the school was so big that it was easy to find an unguarded place. It was about the middle of club time, so it wasn't like he had missed the whole day, either. Right?

He sagged a bit. That excuse felt weak even to him.

Still, he made sure that he stayed away from any of the places he knew had high traffic. Not just because he didn't want to get caught; he was less worried about potential punishment, and more worried about finding a place to shower before anyone noticed the smell.

'How does Erebutie do it?' he thought to himself, cringing at the scent of dirty drainage ditch water that clung to him. It was no wonder she always smelled a bit odd, seeing how quick she was to jump right into what was probably a step away from sewage water. She didn't wear her swimsuit underneath her school uniform as some kind of fashion statement, but so that at any time when she might need to go into the water to pull out some piece of litter she would be able to do so without ruining her clothes.

Jae Gu just counted himself lucky that he was such a regular assistant to the older girl that she had taken to carrying a pair of trunks in his size. He had been able to change into it at a nearby restroom, and that had kept him from having to worry about his uniform, but even if he had toweled dry after the smell lingered.

There was no way he could go to class like this. Or work after for that matter. Not just because it would raise questions, but it would ruin his reputation with his classmates, and the last thing he wanted was to spend three years as a pariah surrounded by rumors that drove off everyone around him…

Jae Gu paused, and wondered if that really was that bad a fate. It would help keep people from distracting him from his studies…

Even as he contemplated the utility of deliberately ostracizing himself, he was interrupted by a clunk noise followed by a high pitched yelp.

'Is someone here?' he wondered to himself, easing up to a corner to glance around it. Sure enough, there was someone there.

'What one earth is she carrying?' he found himself wondering, watching as the girl tried to gather an armful of heavy looking cases while looking flustered as she continued to fumble with them. She was dressed in the normal uniform for a student, but had added a floppy looking hoody to the mix. Besides the baggy over shirt, the things which stood out most about her were her enormous glasses, and the fact that she had died her hair a brilliant turquoise green. The way her hoody was so baggy combined with her childish twin tails made her look too young to be wandering a High School.

Jae Gu had a moment where he wondered if he should just turn around and walk away, leaving the girl to her clumsiness. He really needed to find a shower, and quickly. The girl finally managed to get her cases up, two long flat ones and a third enormously long one, and with the way her arms strained to keep them all up Jae Gu couldn't imagine what was in them. Still, it looked like she had gotten everything under control…

And then the girl tried to take a step, and the enormously long pole caught onto the ceiling, the bottom see-sawing out of her grasp and sending the rest of the cases back to the ground.

Jae Gu sighed, and decided to see if she needed a hand. At least he didn't have to worry about embarrassing himself in front of her. She was doing a better job of embarrassing herself already then even a bit of ditch water could to him.

Besides, maybe she knew where the showers were.

"Um," he ventured from behind the corner, and the girl squeaked as she turned her enormous glasses to peer at him. "Do you need a hand?"

"Ehehe," the girl giggled sheepishly, a hand coming up behind her head as she blushed. "Sorry," she bowed sheepishly. "But could you?"

"Here," he volunteered, taking the extra-long case from the girl. She seemed able enough to manage the two smaller cases without the extended one constantly bumping into the ceiling.

"Thank you…" she began, before trailing off her nose wrinkling as she caught wind of him. "What is…" She turned, giving him a wide eyed look. "What is that smell?"

"Sorry," Jae Gu muttered, glancing away as he let the girl take the lead. "A… friend of mine needed some help getting something out of a drainage ditch."

"A friend?" the girl repeated, pursing her lips and giving him an odd look.

"Yeah," he looked away, trying not to make eye contact. Even the thought of trying to explain Erubetie's unusual habits sounded like a bad idea to him. "Anyway. My name is Song Jae Gu."

"Oh," the girl seemed to come back to herself, shaking her head. Her twin tails flip flopped around her and her glasses nearly slid off her nose. "I'm Lee Go Seul," she introduced herself back, and attempted a bow which nearly sent her tumbling with the additional weight of the cases. "Um, do you know where the Wu Shu clubroom is? I'm hoping to try out for it!"

"Um," Jae Gu racked his brain for where that particular club was, but found himself coming up short. "I'm sorry," he finally apologized. "I'm just a freshmen and I don't really know my way around." He paused, hearing the sound of activity drifting from in front of them. He slowed down a bit, not really wanting too many people around him while he still smelled. "I don't suppose you know where the men's shower is?"

"Er," Go Seul hesitated, looking embarrassed. "I know where the girl's showers are but…" Jae Gu was the first and only male, but the school's efforts for accommodating him with facilities had been a little under inspiring so far. "I'm just a freshmen too," she finally admitted, blushing.

"That's alright," Jae Gu sighed. Maybe he'll just leave early, try to make it home in time for a quick wash, than just head for work. He'd only really wanted to wash up at the school because of possibility of taking a hot shower instead of the usual cold sponge baths at home.

"Okay," Go Seul wilted. She had really wanted to help the nice boy who had given her a hand. She perked up a bit, something she had half heard before coming back to her suddenly. "Oh!" She jogged ahead a bit, looking for a particular set of stair cases. Her sister had mentioned… "Here!"

"Here what?" Jae Gu hurried a bit to try and catch up, and found the other girl standing near a particular stairs.

"My sister mentioned that the showers up here were off limits to most students," Go Seul nodded. "That must be because they were meant for men!"

"Really?" Jae Gu pursed his lips, nodding at the girl's logic. "That makes sense, I suppose." The showers she was indicating were out of the way, so maybe the men's facilities were meant to be a bit separate from the rest of the all-girl school, and if Go Seul's sister, an upperclassman from the sound of things, maybe they had made an announcement to the rest of the school about facilities. It would be just his luck that they decide that kind of thing the day he was away.

"I'm sure of it!" Go Seul was happy that she had been able to help the nice boy who had given her a hand.

After all, if what she suspected was true, a bit of kindness might be just what he needs.

Go Seul might not be the brightest of students, academically at least, but she had heard that the only boy of Wilds High was missing for the day. When he did show up he was hiding from the rest of the school, smelled of like a sewer, was evasive about just what had happened to him, and seemed to be trying to hide any evidence.

She had heard stories about that kind of thing, in the past. That was the kind of thing you heard about when someone was being bullied! She didn't want to jump the gun, but if the nice boy really was being picked on, she wanted to at least do something nice for him.

"Well, that's a relief," Jae Gu sighed, before giving Go Seul a grateful bow. "Here," he offered her back the extremely tall box, and Go Seol gave a little noise of surprise as she realized she'd have to retrieve the package. With minimal shuffling, she managed to include it in her bundle. "Thank you, Go Seul."

"You're welcome, Jae Gu," the girl beamed back at him as he made his way quickly up the stairs. It was only her second day, and already she had made a friend. Her sister would be so proud!

Now if only she could find her way to the Wushu club. She turned, intending to resume her search with no knowledge just what the consequences of her attempt at kindness would bring in the near future, and made it a whole two steps before the top end of the tallest box 'thunked' against a tree branch.

"Oof!" she yelped as the packages tumbled around her. "Maybe I should have only brought one or two at a time," she ended up sighing.

*Scene Break*

Yoon In Gyi almost felt like humming as she blow dried her hair. The day had gone rather well, all things considered. She had managed to have a full day of school, which was always relaxing compared to the tutoring she received at home for when she entered the family business. Afterwards, she had been able to get a decent work out during the presentation for the boxing club. Even just a show match with Moon Young was enough to help her work up decent sweat. The other girl was one of the few out there that could keep up with her for any decent amount of time, and she had found herself getting a little too into the spar towards the end of it.

Best of all, she hadn't seen Jae Gu all day! She was overjoyed that she hadn't had to deal with the confusing young man. It looked like he had finally caught on to the social distance which was appropriate for someone of his age and stature, and no longer approach her for careless conversation, or show up out of nowhere to make her life more interesting.

She was happy about that. Really. She was. It wasn't like she was feeling a little lonely, or anything…

Anyway, after the spar, she had retired to the special bathroom, the one dedicated only to 'S' class fighters for a little privacy as she washed up. Moon Young had come along as well, but the boxer had finished up rather quickly. She had mentioned something about going to hunt down Jae Gu, something about him having been missing for the day.

In Gyi wasn't concerned, and absolutely hadn't encouraged the other girl in any way. Telling her to check he roof had just been idle conversation, not any attempt at helping Moon Young find him by letting her know where he went when he wanted privacy or anything.

Anyway, that aside, In Gyi was finishing up her shower, and trying to decide just what she would do with the rest of her day. Maybe she would check up on Jae Gu… that is, check to see if Moon Young had managed to find the boy! It was her duty as an upperclassman to look after the younger classmen, and she had made a bad impression on him so far. It would give her something to do, before she had to return to her mansion.

That, or maybe hunt down where that strange smell was coming from. She wrinkled her nose, trying to figure out the source of the odor. Had Moon Young left her gym clothes laying around again? The Queen had talked with her about how rude it was to leave a sweaty track suit forgotten in a locker for a week before, and the boxer had sheepishly been careful about not repeating that little incident, after the bruises faded.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a soft jiggling noise, like the sound of one of the shower heads getting ready to be turned on. She paused, glancing around the room. She hadn't heard anyone come in, but she hadn't really been paying attention while she had been showering.

"Moon Young?" She called, wondering if her friend had come back in after all. She would have expected the boxer to announce herself if she had, but it might be another of one her friends silly little sneak attacks that she sometimes launched. It wouldn't be unlike the boxer to wait in one of the stalls until she was changing before attacking.

Quietly, she surveyed the shower room, checking each of the stalls in particular. If it was Moon Young, than she would have to be hiding in one of them…

There. The stall closest to the door. The doors were meant to be foggy to conceal the person in the shower, but she could make out a vague outline, like someone crouching in the corner. If In Gyi was more expressive, she would have sighed. As it was she did let out a little exasperated puff. With determined strides she made her way over to confront her friend and prevent an embarrassing ambush.

At least that was what she was meaning to do. Instead, when she opened the stall door she froze, unable to move as she stared down at the form of Jae Gu crouching in the shower.

"Um," the boy began, sounding sheepishly nervous. "This isn't what it looks like?"

For a moment, In Gyi could do nothing but stand there, frozen. A boy. There was a boy in the shower room with her.

"You see, I kind of ended up getting covered in ditch water," he continued quickly, taking advantage of her inaction to try and explain himself. "And I wasn't really sure where the boy's shower room was…"

The fact that the bad odor she had smelled earlier had doubled when she had opened the door led credence to his claim, but In Gyi only noticed that distantly. There was a boy in the shower, and she was standing in front of him in just a towel! Oh god, she could just kill herself!

"And someone mentioned these were the private rooms, so I thought that meant it was the boy's shower," Jae Gu sped up, seemingly shrinking in on himself, giving the angry girl a quick glance, before looking away without his gaze lingering. In fact, he didn't seem embarrassed about having a mostly naked girl in front of him at all. He was speaking quickly, yes, but he was calm about it. "But when I came in and realized it was a girl's shower, I couldn't go out again because the hallway was full and I didn't want to start any bad rumors."

No, In Gyi decided, anger finally starting to overcome embarrassment. No, suicide wasn't the answer. Homicide was the better solution. The boy would have to die.

"I was just going to wait until you were gone," he added shrugging awkwardly. "I didn't peak or anything!" He hastily added. "I mean, I wasn't even tempted! The moment I realized what was happening, I made sure to look away."

What? He breaks in to the girls' locker room, and doesn't even bother to peek? Was her body not good enough or something!

In Gyi noted that there was something wrong with that last thought, but at this point she was too angry to sort that out. For now, she had violence to engage in.

"Song Jae Gu," she ground out slowly, and the boy gulped before sighing, apparently resigning himself to the inevitable. His eyes flickered from her, to the door behind her, as though trying to judge both her reaction and the distance simultaneously. "What do you think you're…"

Despite her rage, a sound from outside the shower caused her to pause, drawing up and looking to the door in a snap. She could hear someone loud and rude sounding approach, and she gave one last quick look at Jae Gu, before coming to a decision.

Quickly, she shut the door, concealing the boy, just as the door to the shower burst inwards.

"So this is where you were hiding?" the newcomer angrily. She was a redhead, in a dark school uniform and with a bandage taped to her cheek. In Gyi recognized her, and would have sighed if she wasn't so good at concealing her emotions. "What, you filming a movie in a towel or something?" the declared, the innuendo in her voice obvious. "And here I was going to pay my respect to you after registering for the Wilds League!"

"Kim Hye Shin," In Gyi identified the newcomer not even glancing at the two sycophants the redhead had brought with her. She had been one of her most recent challengers, a kick boxer who thought she could match the Queen if it was using the rules of her sport alone. She had been wrong. "You were shipped off to the hospital, but it seems you were discharged earlier."

In Gyi thought about that for a moment, before wondering out loud, "I wonder, should I have been rougher?"

Hye Shin bristled, and began shouting an angry response that In Gyi barely paid attention to. Actually, the Queen was grateful for the insufferably arrogant girl's interruption.

It had stopped her from killing Jae Gu on the spot. No, that would be too good for him. She needed to think of some way to make him suffer first.

Breaking into the shower and then claiming she wasn't even worth peeking at? She would make him pay for that!

And again, the Queen realized that her last thought might have been a bit weird, but it would take her a great bit of calming down before she could decide why.

*Scene Break*

"Why does stuff like this keep happening?" Jae Gu mourned out loud as he finally managed to escape from school. He had had to wait an extra hour before he could escape the shower room, seeing as Dal Dal had shown up as well and he hadn't been able to escape until she had finished too. He had run as soon as he could, worried that the Queen might change her mind about attacking him at this time.

It would have been an extremely awkward way to begin his school year, if he had gotten into a brawl with one of the strongest in the school. He could just try to imagine explaining why it had happened to the principal, too.

But probably the worst part of everything that happened was that he was late for work!

Cursing equal parts Wild High for being a place that didn't even have a properly marked men's room despite its claims of being a coed school and himself for not having had a better idea then 'hide and hope she goes away' when he realized where he was and who he was with and panicked, Jae Gu muttered to himself as he sprinted.

"I should have gone out the window," he grumbled as he ran through the alleys to try and get to work before he ended up getting fired. "It was only the second story. I could have jumped it."

Well not really, he decided as he turned a corner, but even if he did end up hurting himself from jumping from that kind of height, it probably would have been less dangerous than an angry Queen. He knew far too well how dangerous women were when angered.

"Oh? Where were you jumping from and why?" The voice was the only warning he got before something impacted his back, nearly throwing him off balance before he managed to catch himself. Two small arms latched around his shoulders, and two equally small legs wrapped around his waist. "Nice recovery!" the person now clinging to Jae Gu's back declared cheerfully, and Jae Gu was treated to the sight of one of the hands that were clutching him reaching in front of him and snapping open a fan with the word 'victory!' painted onto its folds.

"Tamamo," Jae Gu snapped, reaching up to try and push the fan away from where it was blocking his view. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do I think?" the girl clinging to his back, Tamamo the Queen of the Foxes, sounded amused at his reaction. "I merely heard someone say something about 'jumping' and was thus compelled to do so! What luck, that I had such a soft back to land on!" The fan snapped shut, weaving just out of reach of Jae Gu's batting hand. As it moved, he could hear the sound of bells jingling as she bounced with each step he took.

"What would you have done if I had tripped and fell into a garbage can or something?" Jae Gu demanded. Despite the argument, he did nothing to dislodge the girl clinging to him. It wasn't like she was slowing him down by much in any case.

"I would have made certain that you cleaned it up properly before sending you on your way," she declared slyly, before leaning over to blow in his ear teasingly, a move which nearly caused another collapse as he blushed and shivered at the sensation.

"That would have made me even later!" he pointed out. Somehow, he felt that this was an argument he wasn't going to win, no matter the fact that it had been him that had nearly been sent tumbling. "When are you going to act your age?"

"Why, when I look it, of course," Tamamo giggled. Jae Gu grimaced and surrendered the point.

For all that Tamamo was a Heavenly Knight, one of the five strongest delinquents in the city, and most of the surrounding cities for that matter, for all that she was a powerful and skilled fighter, it didn't change the first thing that anyone meeting her noticed:

How incredibly tiny she really was.

She was shorter even that Jae Gu's new classmate, Choi Dal Dal, and despite her age her body was hardly more developed than a middle-schooler. It was easy to see why so many of the people who met her for the first time treated her like one.

Which was really disturbing when he really thought about it considering she was actually the oldest of the five delinquent leaders. Technically, she was old enough to have fully graduated from High School and be in a college.

It had surprised Jae Gu, when he first met Tamamo, just how old the girl really was. He hadn't been able to believe it when she had told him her real age, until she had shown him actual documented legal proof.

However, once he had heard her story, he could at least understand why someone of that age was still, at the time, only just finishing up middle school.

Much like Granberia, Tamamo was only half Korean, on her mother's side. Originally she and her mother had lived in Japan, with Tamamo's father. However, for all that Japan was a wealthy and mostly safe country to live in, it did have its dark side; specifically what it meant to be part Korean over there.

"So why are you here?" Jae Gu decided to change the subject, knowing that he wasn't going to win this battle. Trying to argue with Tamamo was often a useless task. She might be physically less developed, but she was smarter and more experienced by far when it came to other things. "And how did you get here so quickly? Isn't your school a bit off?"

"Oh? Did someone fail to keep track of time?" Tamamo asked, poking his cheek with her fan teasingly. "Tis been an hour since school ended; plenty of time for me to make it to the gates of yours. And yet knowing that you should be gone already to work, I find you only now departing? Did our little Luka find himself a club?"

"My name isn't Luka," Jae Gu grunted, starting to pant a bit as he kept up his pace. Even if she was small enough for him to carry easily, he was still running as fast as he could, and he was starting to feel it. "And I'm not little! I'm taller than you, for sure."

"Of course, of course, our little Luka," Tamamo chided him patting his head consolingly with her fan while ignoring him completely. "I was just taking my turn to check on our little Luka."

"Check on?" Jae Gu repeated, not quite sure what she was referring to. Now that she mentioned it, each of the Heavenly Knights had been showing up at odd times the last few days.

"Why, to see if you've really been so badly bullied, as our Monster Lord claims," Tamamo blew in his ear again, and he flinched instinctively. When he did so, he felt the fan that Tamamo always seemed to have on her gently caressing the cheek that the Queen had slapped. "It seems that our dear Alice has just been needlessly worrying. This seems not to be bullying at all."

"Is that what Alice has been saying?" Jae Gu sighed, feeling any remaining frustration from the encounter with the Queen or with Tamamo's unexpected addition to his back vanishing. Instead, he felt like smiling a little. It was just like Alice to worry needlessly over something so trivial.

"Indeed," Tamamo agreed, and more jingles sounded as he caught sight of her shaking her head in exasperation at his girlfriend's worrying. "Well, since I have ascertained our little Luka's safety, I shall be away!"

Almost before the last words were spoken Jae Gu felt the weight on her back disappear. He stumbled a bit at the change in balance, but turned around to catch a look at Tanamo as she landed with a spin. She was just like he remembered her, almost identical to the first time they met three years ago for that matter.

She wore the same school uniform as Alice and the rest of the Heavenly Knights, but apparently the high school didn't quite have her size, and so the collar of her shirt hung low on her thin shoulders. The skirt which went to knee length on Alice, the only one of the five to wear her skirt properly, hung down to mid shins on the Fox Queen. On her bangs was a little red string bow, and behind her long blonde hair hung down, separated into nine flowing ponytails, each ending wrapped in a band of white ribbon with a bell hanging from it. She landed easily with a spin, her hair whipping about her as she put one hand on her hip and used the other to touch the tip of her fan to her cheek.

"Well then, our little Luka," Tamamo called to him cheekily as her hair continued to spin and wrap around her. "I will be taking my leave! See you tonight for your bath!"

"My bath?" Jae Gu repeated, before glancing down as he realized that in all the excitement he STILL hadn't had a chance to wash off the smell of the drainage ditch. He looked to see if Tamamo had noticed, the fact that she had actually pointed it out slipping his mind in his embarrassment, but in the second he had looked away the small woman had vanished leaving only the sound of bells in the air.

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu was unusually late getting home that night. The car wash manager had been forgiving enough about his tardiness, accepting Jae Gu's hasty excuse of having been held up by a classmate. Jae Gu got the impression that the old man was secretly pleased that he was getting along with his classmates. Jae Gu didn't bother to clear up for him exactly why he had been held up, letting the old man keep the mistaken belief.

However, pleased or not, Jae Gu insisted on staying late that night. He was already behind on hours that paycheck from being let go early the night before. If he was going to manage to pay his bills he'd need to put in some overtime, and it was best to get that made up as quickly as possible.

Still, it was with some relief to come home and discover that not only were his siblings in bed, but that at some point in the day the entire house had been cleaned, the dishes done, clothes washed, and a meal set out and waiting for him.

'How can someone act so carefree and still manage to keep things so orderly?' he couldn't help but ask himself, giving a glance at the one he knew was responsible for the state of his house. It was easy enough to find her, lying next to Jae Som and Jae Hyung. Even the twins' sleep posture looked unexpectedly well ordered, the two lined up neatly and laying straight without curling, the blankets uniformly tucked under their chins.

Tamamo, on the other hand, was sprawled out on top of the sheets, arms and legs thrown about carelessly as she lay almost perpendicular to the twins. She had brought along some pale pink sleep clothes a shirt and pants which were equally disheveled, the shirt pulled up to reveal her stomach and one pants' leg scrunched up to knee level.

'Tamamo,' he sighed at her unsightly sleep posture, then was unable to suppress a smile of gratitude. For all her childishness, she really was the kind of girl you could trust when things needed to be done. Carefully, not wanting to wake her, he managed to reach one hand under her and lift her small weight enough for him to tug the blanket she was on top of free. Letting her settle back down, he pulled the sheets up to cover as much of her as he could.

Turning away to head to the plate of food waiting for him he didn't notice the smile that grew on Tamamo's lips, or the way one of her eyes cracked open to watch him.

It wasn't until after he had eaten and was outside, finally washing away the smell that had been sticking to him all day, that he realized she was still awake. Shivering under the combination of the cold water and cold night air and wishing that he had managed to take that hot shower earlier like he had hoped for, he gasped quietly when a familiar weight fell on his back, arms and legs wrapping around him again.

"Tamamo?" he yelped, before cringing and repeating himself in a quieter tone. "Tamamo? What are you doing?"

"Oh? I was having a sweet dream, and then woke up to something sweeter," the girl teased him softly, and from the corner of his eyes he could see the wide smile on her lips as she nuzzled his neck playfully. "And did I not say earlier? That I would see you for your bath?"

"Oh," Jae Gu blushed, shifting awkwardly to try an conceal himself a bit. He had stripped for his bath, and judging from the feel of the girl on her back, she had dressed similarly. "If you're sure. I mean, I really stink right now…" A few hours sweating in that water proof suit had only worsened the smell, and Jae Gu really didn't think that he was that attractive at that moment.

"You most certainly do," Tamamo confirmed his worry, but her smile just grew. "So we'll be sure to have a lot of fun playing around with our little Luka in the bath." She paused, pouting for a moment. "Though one of these days you are going to take some time off, so I can rent us a love motel room."

"Tamamo!" Jae Gu blushed even harder. Yeah, he had already done those kinds of things with her, but for some reason going to a love motel, a place specifically designed for those kinds of liaisons just made it seem that much more embarrassing.

"How cute!" Tamamo giggled. "I can't wait to play around with you on some real sheets, and not just out here!" She pulled free, and moved around to where she could stand in front of him, her pale skin shining in the moonlight. "Now sit still, and let your Tamamo clean you well!"

It wasn't until later that a clean and fresh smelling Jae Gu got some sleep, wrapped in Tamamo's hair just like she was wrapped in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's Notes: And here's another one. Now this might seem unusually quick for me, but now that intros are done something is ACTUALLY going to happen! Huzzah!_

_Couple things to note: a couple of awesome reviewers, and you know who you are, high fives all around, took the effort to give me some basic Korean honorific guides. Seeing as completely leaving out Korean references really does kind of make the setting kind of bland, I did my best to work some in. If you see me using it wrong, make a note of it in your review._

_Also, I've got some reviewers wondering about Jae Gu's characterization. Some people have noted that he seems a bit bipolar, or how he goes from 'all angry and combative' to 'nice and at ease' pretty quickly. Honestly, I think that brings him more in character with the rest of the Wilds girls. I mean, they go all 'lovey dovey' to 'you'll die' in like two point five seconds. I think just about every female character in the comic has threatened to kill someone at least once._

_That being said, on to the fun parts, where hopes are raised than shattered, I show once more that I'm incapable of writing something straight up and have to put strange characterization twists in EVERYTHING I write, and we see that for all their sweet and gentle intros the Monster girls ain't so nice if your name ain't 'Luka'._

Chapter Four

"Wilds League, eh?" Jae Gu muttered, staring blearily at the screen in front of him. He never much liked computers, which is to say he had only the most basic of idea of how to use them. Other kids his age might have their own laptops, or a family computer at the least that they could use regularly. Heck, most kids his age had smart phones that could almost double as computers; fancy things with prodigious processing speed and the ability to access the internet anywhere.

The amount of money those phones or computers cost when it came down to hardware or access fees was enough to feed the Song household for a half a year, and Jae Gu had elected to go with the purchase that wouldn't leave him and the twins dead of starvation. As a consequence, the only time he ever actually got to use a computer was when class demanded it, seeing as he couldn't even stay after to experiment with them since he had to get to work.

Despite his lack of ability, Jae Gu had spent most of his lunch period in a free lab, trying to get an answer to a question that had been brought up yesterday:

Just what was this 'Wilds League'?

Whatever it was, it had seemed to be a big enough deal seeing how much the students talked about it.

"An internationally acclaimed mixed martial arts tournament sponsored by the school?" Jae Gu read the explanation he had finally managed to dig up. "I guess that makes sense."

This was a school dedicated to martial arts, after all. It only made sense that they'd have activities that catered to them. And it was open to all participants too, as long as they were of high school age.

Incidentally, reading about the Wilds League also managed to educate Jae Gu on one of the other things that had been bothering him for a while.

"So I guess that would make In Gyi the 'Queen of the Wilds'," he determined, finally figuring out just why everyone kept calling the Sunbae 'Queen'. After all, the title 'Queen' was only given to a head of a gang, and he could consider most of the students here to be part of the Queen's gang, seeing how much they all seemed to worship her.

Still, this Wilds League seemed to be a pretty big deal, the more Jae Gu read about it. It was internationally broadcasted, mostly on pay per view channels at that, and it seemed to be one of the most well-known and popular tournaments in the world. There were even fan pages dedicated to some of the better participants, the kind of thing he would expect to find for any other sports star.

It did seem a little odd to Jae Gu that watching teenagers, mostly girls for that matter, fighting would get so big. Then again, considering his own experience he had long ago decided that tournaments in general were silly things which just didn't make sense.

"Well," he huffed, leaning back and rubbing his eyes before they started to hurt from staring at the screen for so long. "At least I don't have to participate. That's a relief at least."

His thoughts were interrupted by the brief blare that marked an intercom announcement starting.

"Ah! Ah!" The speaker sounded like a student to Jae Gu, and she sounded unusually excited about something. "This is an emergency announcement! Repeat, an emergency announcement! Last year's champion of the Wilds League, the Queen, is now going to create the League matchups! All participating students please come to the front of the assembly hall in front of the matchup charts!"

"Well," Jae Gu muttered, pushing his way up from the computer. "I'm glad I'm not involved." Awkwardly, he wondered what to do with the rest of his lunch time, seeing as he didn't actually have a lunch to eat. He looked up in surprise when the announcement continued.

"Oh yeah! And first year Song Jae Gu too! Please come to the chart as well, first year Song Jae Gu."

"Me?" Jae Gu gaped at the speaker as though it had the answers as to why he had to go as well. For a moment he wondered if he should just blow the invitation off, but since it was an official announcement maybe he should go. He did skip school yesterday, after all, and he didn't want to get too many infringements on record. He would lose his scholarship if he did.

Maybe they were just determined to have the only guy in school present as a way to help with the integration, Jae Gu wondered as he hurried up the stairs leading to the designated meeting spot. Or maybe they just wanted to make sure the only male student was aware of the importance of the tournament? It did seem to be a pretty big part of the school's culture, after all.

He came across quite a crowd when he finally made it to the assembly hall. The announcement had called for all students participating, and it looked like most of the third years as well as many of the second years were planning on entering. He was one of the last ones to arrive, and found himself having to stand at the edge of the crowd seeing how tightly packed the rest of the students were. He didn't particularly mind the position, seeing as there were quite a lot of women in the room; women who were, presumably due to their participation in a MMA tournament, probably all pretty violent.

As though to prove his statement, he caught sight of Dal Dal's little cat ear hair ornaments, and Jae Gu decided to stay a little closer to the door and as far away from any windows as he could.

At the front of the crowd was a small stage, with a large bulletin board with the logo 'Wilds League Match-Ups' embossed on it, and a standard looking tournament organization chart. Jae Gu could count sixteen slots on the lowest ring, lines used to denote the path of the tournament. It wasn't anything special, but it did seem to have an even match up. That meant there were no seeded fighters at least, Jae Gu could tell that much at least.

Next to the board were two girls. One of them was a cheerful looking redhead with a microphone, probably the announcer, and the other was Queen In Gyi, standing composed and holding a bit of poster card.

Jae Gu had enough time to wonder just what was going on before the announcer girl started to excitedly explain for the gathered crowd.

"Okay everyone!" the girl was nearly babbling with how excited she was. "Queen has chosen her opponent for Wilds League!" An excited murmur went through the crowd, to Jae Gu's confusion. The announcer continued, "As everyone knows, preliminaries start next week, but Queen never bothered to pick her opponent as is allowed for returning champions! Always before she just chose random matchups."

Even as the announcer answered Jae Gu's unspoken question, he caught sight of In Gyi. He blinked in surprise when he realized she was staring over the crowd and directly at him with a cool expression on her face. Their eyes met for a moment, and then Queen turned her gaze downward and started to write on the card.

Jae Gu got a sinking feeling in his gut immediately.

'No,' he thought to himself.

"She's writing a name!" the announcer squealed happily. "Who could it be?"

'Don't you do it,' Jae Gu found himself scowling. 'Don't you dare!'

"She's putting it next to her name!" the announcer continued to give a play by play of the Queen's every little movement. "Who could it be? If they can get into the League, that's a great accomplishment!"

'It was just one accident in a shower!' Jae Gu raged in his mind, a step away from pulling at his hair. 'You even had a towel on! This is ridiculous!'

The announcer gasped as Queen pulled back, staring blankly at the chosen opponent. Jae Gu found himself crossing his fingers and hoping his premonition was just the first symptoms of a spring cold from bathing in cold water late at night.

"So-Song Jae Gu!" the announcer stuttered and Jae Gu grit his teeth. "She picked first year Song Jae Gu! What is going on?"

Jae Gu scowled across the crowd that was already turning to stare at him, and again the Queen met his eyes. The glare there was obvious, but this time Jae Gu found himself glaring back.

'God damnit!' he growled in his head, fists still clenched. 'Not another tournament!'

*Scene Break*

Yoon In Gyi was feeling pretty darn proud of herself at the moment. She might even be willing to thank that Hye Shin for interrupting her yesterday. Yes, beating that impudent Song Jae Gu up on the spot might have been satisfying. But after having spent all night thinking about it as she pounded sand in the gym, she had come to a much better solution.

Beating Jae Gu into a pulp in front of an audience sounded like a much better way to punish that boy for not peaking… er, to punish that boy _for_ peaking, for peaking!

"Hey," Moon Young scowled as the two of them sat in the corner of the classroom, the boxer leaning over on a desk as she sat nearby. "What were you thinking, Queen? To do something like that, it's not just mean, it's outright cruel! Hey!" the boxer narrowed her eyes. "Are you even listening?"

No, she wasn't, she decided. She was too busy gloating to bother listening. It had been a masterful plan, one worthy of one who would someday lead the YK Corporation.

And as though to make her crowing moment just that much more satisfying, the door to the classroom slid open a little too hard for a polite entrance, and there in the doorway was her nemesis himself!

Jae Gu stood in the doorway, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed. 'Look at him!' she crowed exultantly in her mind, though the most that showed was the briefest twitch of an eyebrow. 'He's actually shaking in fear!'

"You," Jae Gu declared, his voice low.

"Huh?" Moon Young seemed surprised to see the boy, blinking owlishly at him as she did so. "Song Jae Gu?" She scowled at the young man, though it was less accusatory and more cautios. "Just what did you do to the Queen? I was just trying to talk her out of this…"

"In Gyi-Sunbae," Jae Gu interrupted Moon Young, and In Gyi felt a moment of surprise. Wait, he didn't exactly sound afraid. More like he was angry… "Would you please cancel the match?"

"Cancel?" she sniffed, turning her head away imperiously. Him being angry might be even better! If he attacked her, she could beat him up twice! "Why would I do that?"

Maybe if he groveled a bit, she decided. Yes. Some groveling might be nice. Let it never be said that the Queen was without mercy!

"You don't honestly expect me to be able to fight," Jae Gu's voice was measured, but still a little too hot for her taste. If he was going to get her to cancel the match, he would have to show some humility first! "You just want the chance to beat me up. And you want to do it in the most humiliating way possible, in front of the whole world. All you want to do is humiliate me as much as possible."

Well, yes. That was what she wanted. But when he put it like that, it didn't sound quite as much like 'justice' in her head as it did before.

"And the reason you want to do that is because I made a simple mistake because this school wasn't prepared to have a male student, regardless of what they claim about being coed." Jae Gu continued, and she could make out his reflection in the window she was pretending to stare out of imperiously. She couldn't see him clearly, but she could at least make out the way his teeth were clenched. "A mistake I honestly apologized for. Rather than accept a simple apology or anything, you instead want to hurt me in the most public way possible, maybe in a way which would affect the rest of my life, considering the publicity."

'Hey now,' the Queen muttered, resisting the urge to squirm a bit. 'When you put it like that it doesn't sound that good at all! Well, maybe it is a bit overboard…'

No! She had to be strong. She'd just cut back a bit on how much groveling she was expecting before she forgave him and changed the match. It still wasn't entirely her fault!

"That doesn't concern me," she instead declared, proud that her voice still sounded cool and distant.

She could see the way his shoulders were shaking in the window, and resisted the urge to bite her lip. She was actually starting to feel a little uncomfortable at that point.

And then, in the reflection, she saw him suddenly relax. All the tension in his body just vanished. He still was slouched, his head ducked down, but he looked perfectly at ease.

"You really are a monster," Jae Gu said softly.

In Gyi's eyes widened, and she whipped her head about so that she could glare at her accuser…

And froze when she saw his expression. There was no anger, no condemnation, nothing negative at all in his eyes, just like before. They were gentle, and he was smiling at her, nearly beaming! He looked more than just proud of her, he looked like he was complimenting her from the bottom of his heart!

'You aren't supposed to say something like that while looking like that!' In Gyi wailed in her head. 'Stop it! Stop acting like you're praising me when you say something like that!'

She was frozen, unable to move or even think as Jae Gu gave a short bow after his declaration, and left the room. He closed the door behind him much gentler than he opened it too.

It took a few moments for In Gyi to regain control of herself. After that, it took a few more moments to make sure that it really was just her and Moon Young in the room.

Then she whirled to Moon Young, blushing as she tried to figure out just what had happened. Moon Young was one of the few people she could really relax around, one of the few she genuinely trusted and liked as a friend.

She'd know what to do! Her status as her best friend insured it!

She wasn't sure what kind of expression she was making, but whatever it was Moon Young snorted in surprise.

"What am I supposed to do when you make a face like that?" Moon Young yelped in exasperation, before starting to grin. "You're just so adorable! Why don't you look like that more often?" She leaned forward, her grin not so much teasing as comforting. "You better treat me well, or I'll tell the whole world 'The Queen is just an adorably shy girl'."

"I-I never meant to…" In Gyi stammered, trailing off as she tried to defend her actions. She didn't feel quite as proud of the plot as she had this morning. In fact, she felt like a host of butterflies were being attacked by snakes in her tummy as her stomach twisted.

"Is that so?" Moon Young was still smiling at her. "Were you just twying to teach widdle Jae Gu a lesson?"

That had been exactly what she had been trying to do, but In Gyi managed to get enough control of herself not to blurt it out. One of the rules she had learned for business was if you were ever caught doing something shady then deny, deny, deny.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped folding her arms haughtily. "I don't care one bit about that guy!"

She didn't, she insisted to herself. Not one bit. That feeling wasn't guilt or anything. It was just… some bad meat from lunch! Or maybe some undigested potato! That's what it was! Bad potatos! That's all!

Self-deception never really accomplished anything, and could lead to making dangerous mistakes. So In Gyi always tried to be honest with herself.

No one ever said she was good at it though.

*Scene Break*

Choi Dal Dal was surprised when she managed to catch Jae Gu at the gates to the school once class was done. She'd seen him earlier, after Queen had made her announcement. Just about everyone in the room had turned to gawk at the boy who had mysteriously been selected to fight the Queen of the Wilds League in the first round of the tournament.

She had been surprised then. She'd only known Jae Gu for a few days at this point, and so far the impression she had gotten from him was of a quiet, shy, nice young boy. He always seemed so skittish, backing away from all his classmates and making excuses to get away. And the way he'd blush before bolting from attention was adorable!

So when the Queen had chosen him for the fight, she had been a bit unnerved when she saw another side of him: teeth grit, head bowed, fists shaking, and his eyes, narrowed in fury.

She hadn't even thought Jae Gu could get angry, much less look so, so…

He'd actually looked intimidating at that moment.

Dal Dal kind of liked it, actually.

Still, even though it was just a few hours later, when she found Jae Gu at the gates, it was as though the scene at lunch had never happened. Once more he was slouched, his eyes calm and wide, his expression gentle.

She kind of liked that, too.

"Jae Gu!" she called out cheerfully, and enjoyed the way he stiffened like a deer about to bolt. "Let's walk together!"

"Er," Jae Gu relaxed a bit, but he did look a little nervous. "That is…"

"Hehe," she giggled, skipping over to him. Awkwardly, he began to walk, and she just kept skipping along to keep up. "Walking together with Jae Gu! Wow, Jae Gu sure has a fast walking pace!"

"Er, yeah," Jae Gu acknowledged. She merrily increased her pace when he started walking even faster. That silly Jae Gu. It was almost as though he was trying to escape or something as unbelievable as that.

"I was worried about Jae Gu when I saw him earlier," Dal Dal went on, cheerfully starting a conversation up. "You looked so mad! I'm glad my Jae Gu calmed down so quickly!"

"Yeah," Jae Gu seemed to be relaxing a bit, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "I learned the hard way that getting mad just makes things worse. I'm pretty good at calming down."

"That's my Jae Gu," Dal Dal gushed. "What a level head, what a serene man; an example to all as a pillar of patience!"

When Jae Gu started to blush at the compliments, Dal Dal gave an internal cheer.

Plan A hadn't worked for some reason, after all. She had been sure that the dating guide book was the answer. Clearly, the writer was just a scam artist. After thinking long and hard for a full two nights and one day, Dal Dal had managed to come up with Plan B:

Shameless praise.

It was genius! After all, when someone was trying to woo her, she always loved it when she was showered in compliments. Logically, everyone else would feel the same way too, right?

"Why," she continued, and decided that she could try her hand at subtly while she was at it. "Once Jae Gu joins the Tae Kwon Do Club, he'll be an example to all to try harder!"

When Jae Gu glanced away, she took that as shyness, the kind that only came before reluctant yet heartfelt acceptance. And her mom always said she was as blunt as a brick. Take that, mom!

"Join the Tae Kwon Do Club, eh?" Jae Gu muttered, and Dal Dal prepared herself to be gracious in accepting his request to join. "Is fighting really such a big thing at this school?"

Dal Dal blinked, surprised at her Jae Gu's pensive tone. He looked like he was deep in thought, and the sight of 'Solemn Jae Gu' gave her a little flutter in her heart. Quick, she ordered herself. Be understanding! The key to winning his heart was understanding it. Frantically, she tried to think of something that would make her seem like a reliable Sunbae.

"Is this about the Wilds League?" she finally ventured hopefully. When Jae Gu gave her a quick look, she knew she had managed to hit the problem on the head. "Well don't worry!" she declared. "You're a guy, so I'm sure you might be able to maybe win."

She had tried to start that off encouragingly, but the further she got into the sentence the more she remembered just how brutal the Queen really was and the more qualifiers she felt compelled to add on. Maybe he wouldn't notice, she hoped.

"So what do you really think my chances are?" he asked, and Dal Dal wilted a bit. And she had been doing so well at subtle too.

"Ze..ro," she muttered slowly, hoping that maybe he wouldn't hear her despite herself. She gave a quick look at his profile. Jae Gu didn't seem discouraged at her lack of faith at least. He just looked pensive, as though he was thinking deep thoughts about something.

"Zero, huh," he muttered, before sighing. "It never gets any easier, does it?" Dal Dal frantically tried to think of something to cheer him up. Maybe if she offered to teach him how to fight? Everyone likes fighting, right? Or a kiss! Smooches cheer people up! "I have to hurry up to get to work now," he her off. "You should head on home."

Dal Dal let her skipping slow to a stop as she watched Jae Gu take off, jogging down the street away from her.

'What am I doing?' she thought to herself as she sighed, a rueful smile on her lips. 'That little brat. Why is he just so charming?'

Dal Dal knew a brush off when she saw one. She'd used them enough herself, in the past.

Dal Dal could tell when she wasn't making progress either. Jae Gu might be talking to her, but so far, that was all. Well, maybe that was more progress than most of the other students at least.

'If I was a lesser girl, I might get discouraged,' Dal Dal shook her head briefly before she grinned fiercely.

"Good thing I'm not the kind to give up!" she declared to herself, before picking up the pace herself. "Jae Gu!" she sang as she chased after the boy. "Wait for me!"

Dal Dal was a lot better than In Gyi when it came to not lying to herself. She was also a straightforward kind of girl who had no problems going after what she wanted.

'You won't get away from me that easily, Song Jae Gu!'

*Scene Break*

"I'm feeling kind of conflicted right now," Moon Young admitted to herself as she pedaled her bike. It was a habit of hers, and one she didn't mind too terribly. She liked to talk out loud to herself when she was thinking something through. She wasn't exactly a genius, and she knew that. She wasn't stupid, not by a long shot, but she would admit readily that when it came to intellect she was only average.

That was fine. Average existed because there were the very smart and the very stupid. Most of the world, when it came right down to it was average. Average was the norm, after all, and those that excelled one way or the other only excelled in comparison to the average.

And when it came to boxing, she knew she was one of the ones who excelled in that category.

So she could admit to being average when it came to school work. She found that reading a problem or an exercise out loud helped her get it straight in her head, so when she had to work something through in her thoughts she usually voiced them.

"On one hand, he really must have done something to piss of Queen, if she'd go that far," Moon Young admitted. "She's not the type to lose her temper like that. Of course, on the other hand, if Jae Gung gets too much pressure on him, he might just leave the school. Who would want to stay somewhere where they lived under constant threat of violence?"

Yes, she decided to herself as she rode down the road away from Wilds. That made sense. On to the next part of the problem.

"And if Jae Gu quits, there goes most of my plans," she reasoned. "I mean, he is kind of cute, and he looks like the kind of guy that needs someone looking after him. And I kind of like being the Sunbae that the freshmen go to for help."

She might like to fight, yeah, but that didn't mean she thought about it all day or anything. She kind of liked the idea of being the responsible one that people looked up to. Yeah, she decided again. That made sense, too.

"Not to mention I'd have a chance to pull my grades up as well," she grimaced at that little addition to the equation she was working out. She might be fine being average in that category, but her teachers sure weren't okay with it. Raising her grades was definitely a factor in all of this.

"So yeah," Moon Young nodded, deciding that this session had helped straighten things out for her pretty well. "But I got to admit," she started pedaling faster, her voice rising a bit as she did so. "The biggest thing I'm conflicted about is just why you're riding on the back of my bike!"

Yoon In Gyi ignored the implied question, the Queen simply glancing away. Moon Young was familiar enough with her friend that she didn't even have to look back to know exactly what she would do after she shouted at her.

"Just what are you following me for? Weren't you the one who said that riding on the back of a bike was lame?" Moon Young continued to grumble, grimacing as she pedaled the weight of both of them. It was good exercise, so she didn't mind that much but it was still annoying!

"The car didn't arrive yet," In Gyi declared bluntly. "I had no choice."

"So that limousine in front of the school must have been someone else's, right?" Moon Young called her friend on the bull instantly, again not having to look back to predict the way Queen turned her head to the side, ignoring the question. Still, it was enough to take the heat out of the boxer as she maintained her speed.

"I guess it really does bother you, what Jae Gu said," Moon Young said, not unkindly. She heard the Queen fidget slightly. Still, Moon Young considered herself In Gyi's friend, and sometimes a friend was a friend because they didn't hold back from saying what needed to be said. "You should have been easier on him," she told Queen bluntly. "After what you've done, is he wrong about what he said? Sheesh," she puffed her cheeks. "To think the great Queen would be this uneasy over a boy!"

She could imagine In Gyi wilting a bit at her blunt summation, but pressed on anyway. Things needed to be said, and Moon Young was the only one who could say them to In Gyi sometimes.

"I've done some research about him," Moon Young continued, grimacing as she did so. "He seems to be in a pretty bad spot, you know. No parents, and with two siblings he has to take care of while going to school at the same time. The only reason he even got into a school, especially one like Wilds, is because of his scholarship. The poor kid has to earn his living with a part time job to boot."

It was a hell of story, and it impressed Moon Young. It impressed her a lot. The fact that the kid managed to take care of all that, well, Moon Young didn't think she would have been able to. What must it have been like for Jae Gu, to shoulder all that?

It was no wonder the kid was always slouched, with that much weight on him.

Once more, Moon Young was filled with the 'ferocious cuddle' urge. The boxer wouldn't mind if her plans to maybe get Jae Gu as a boyfriend fell through. She'd settle for just being there to help support the kid through his school life.

A school life that her friend seemed determined to complicate endlessly, as it turned out.

Moon Young could hear In Gyi shifting and she nodded, knowing that her point had been made. The Queen might be proud, and she was one of the best fighters out there, but even she could make mistakes, and it looked like she had realized it.

She'd never admit it, that much Moon Young also knew, but at least In Gyi knew she was in the wrong.

"Well," Moon Young grinned, and picked up the pace a bit more. Even if the Queen wouldn't be the one to make the first move, that didn't stop her from setting it up! "Just sit there quietly. We're going to Jae Gu!"

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu had thought that Dal Dal would give up eventually. After all, even if she had followed him for a bit, there was no way she'd be able to keep it up, right?

But even though he tried to ignore her, she just kept on following him. He had thought that after the first two hours at work she'd eventually get bored, but apparently following him around and complimenting his wheel washing skills was more entertaining than he had realized, because she kept it up.

Kept it up for all five hours of his shift at that!

He would never admit it, but he was starting to feel seriously unnerved by the sheer persistence of the girl as she even followed him home, despite his blunt request that she leave.

Women truly were fearsome creatures!

He was beginning to be genuinely nervous about what would happen if she really did follow him all the way home.

After all, there was no telling just who would be there when they got there.

And if it was Alice who had stopped by to look after his siblings…

He was preparing to give her the final ultimatum to go away as he came into view of his house, only to stop and stare as he found out that not only had Dal Dal followed him home, but that Moon Young and In Gyi had actually beaten him there!

"Why are you all…" he began, trailing off from the sheer incredulity of having so many visitors which weren't his delinquent friends. Dal Dal didn't have as many compunctions about voicing her thoughts.

"What are you all doing here!" she demanded, bristling like a cat as she glared at her classmates. "Get lost! Can't you tell you're not wanted?"

Jae Gu had a weird moment of vertigo as the one who most deserved that question asked it.

"Hahaha," Moon Young laughed, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, you see, a lot of things happened…" she began her explanation before trailing off. "And then we ended up here," she concluded as though she hadn't just skipped the actual explanation. At her side, In Gyi stared determinedly at the wall opposite his door.

"Your explanation isn't," he sighed. Moon Young glanced away, coughing slightly.

"Well," she had the grace to look embarrassed at least, so Jae Gu was willing to at least hear her out. "We are your Sunbae," she continued, "so even if you're not happy to see us, isn't it courteous to at least invite us in for a cup of tea?"

Jae Gu grimaced, but surrendered the point. It was the polite thing to do, after all, and he should at least try to be a proper host. Resigned to playing the host, he opened the door to the courtyard, ignoring the way Dal Dal through her hands up in a silent cheer at having invaded his home. Cautiously, he glanced around, but he didn't see any signs of any of Alice or any of the Knights being present.

Well, it wasn't like they came over all the time. He guessed he should just be happy that there wouldn't be the potential for any explosions at this point. He did have to sleep tonight, after all.

His siblings at least were happy. They might be heavy sleepers at times, but when the lights were on and he was bumping dishes around as he tried to accommodate his Sunbae, not even they would stay asleep. They glanced about sleepily, taking in the new company, but that didn't last long.

"Qu-Queen!" Jae Hyung leapt to his feet, sleepiness forgotten as the young boy stared at the uncomfortable older girl with awe. In Gyi found herself awkwardly the target of an excited fan. "Luka-Hyung knows the Queen!"

"And now it will take me hours to get them back to sleep," Jae Gu grumbled, before freezing as a horrible thought struck him. "And now my classmates know that ridiculous nickname!"

"Luka?" Dal Dal repeated, sounding confused. She glanced at Jae Gu, and took in his sudden embarrassment, and her eyes widened in delight. "Oh! Is that Jae Gu's nickname? It's adorable!"

"Heh," Moon Young also seemed amused, grinning as Jae Gu fidgeted. "So should we call you that too?"

"Please don't," he tried to be firm, but it came out more as a whimper. "They've been calling me that since they were two."

"That's so cute!" Dal Dal squealed happily. "I've learned something out about my Jae Gu!" She sighed in delight. "It must be fate."

"Whatever, Pinky," Moon Young snorted. She glanced around briefly, checking to see if there was a table or even anything to sit on. She grimaced briefly when she realized there wasn't. Well, she had known Jae Gu's circumstances, so she was determined not to make a scene out of it. Instead she flopped down easily, sitting cross legged. Dal Dal didn't seem to even notice the lack of furniture, and just happily sank to her knees, content with having found out something personal about Jae Gu.

The Queen on the other hand, wasn't able to be quite as sanguine as the other two.

Awkwardly, In Gyi looked about the room. She had to resist the urge to cringe at what she saw. The wall paper was yellowed with mildew in spots, and cracked and peeling in others. The linoleum of the floor was peeling as well in places. The room was clean at least, despite its disrepair, but there was only so much that scrubbing could do in the face of age and decay.

'This is how poor people live?' she shivered internally. 'But this is… There isn't even one maid!'

Needless to say, In Gyi was starting to feel that maybe she had been a little too sheltered in her life.

"Hey," Moon Young scowled at her in a low tone. "What are you doing? Sit down."

"Sit?" it was only In Gyi's natural poker face, a necessity for someone expected to one day run a company, that kept her from cringing or stuttering. "Shouldn't there be a cushion?"

Moon Young felt like smacking herself on the forehead. And people called her tactless!

"We have a noblewoman here," Dal Dal snorted. "Just leave already."

"It's hard to find usable cushions," Jae Ge broke in apologetically. "People don't throw them away unless they're unsalvageable." He didn't seem the least bit concerned that he had just admitted to going through other people's trash. Instead, he just put two of the chipped cups he had managed to gather, and a bowl about the right size to be held with one hand, all of them filled with plain hot water. "And you'll have to forgive me if I don't have any tea. Is hot water alright?"

Jae Gu didn't feel he had to keep his life style a secret, or make excuses for it. All the important people already knew how he lived, and they never seemed to mind.

In Gyi glowered at the boy, wondering if this was some kind of revenge for her earlier plot to humiliate him by making her sit on the bare floor, before realizing even to herself that she was being unreasonable. Awkwardly, she managed to arrange herself on the ground, shifting uncomfortably at the lack of cushioning.

"I can sit down," she muttered. "Don't look down on me so rudely."

"Yeah!" Jae Hyung at least didn't seem to notice the tension, the boy too excited to have one of his idols around. "Play with us, Queen-noona!"

"Luka-oppa knows even more unnis," Jae Som also seemed happy. She liked older female companionship, and having even more older girls around made her beam happily as she cuddled her stuffed rabbit.

"More unnis?" Moon Young caught onto that statement, frowning for a moment at the implications, before brushing them off. "Do you have some of the neighbors help look after them, Jae Gu?"

It made the most sense to her. He would have had to have someone looking after the twins during the day, and one of the nearby housewives would have been perfect for that.

"In this neighborhood?" Jae Gu gave her a flat look, and Moon Young grimaced at that. It was a neighborhood cheap enough for a high school boy to pay expenses by working at a carwash, after all. She could guess that a lot of the neighbors probably weren't the kind of people you trusted around kindergartners.

"So who are these other women?" Dal Dal's eyes narrowed, as she gave Jae Gu a suspicious look. "You aren't cheating on me already, Jae Gu?"

"Cheating on you?" he repeated blankly, giving her a disbelieving look. They weren't even dating! They had only known each other for three days at this point, and they were barely on speaking terms even though she followed him home!

'You know what?' he decided to himself. 'Maybe the truth would help put a break on this before it gets too far out of hand.'

He was beginning to think that maybe Dal Dal was one of those girls that Alma had warned him about. Alma had sat him down a while back and given him some of the warning signs that you might have to stay clear of someone, probably drawn from a list of her own personal bad experiences when it came to dating.

Though even he had to admit to himself that the fact that he got dating advice from a girl he occasionally slept with while already having a girlfriend was probably a sign that maybe he had made a bad choice or two somewhere along the line.

"No," he stated clearly, his voice even. "Sometimes my girlfriend or one of her friends helps babysit for me."

It actually took a moment for that statement to properly sink in. Reactions varied.

In Moon Young's mind, there was a picture of her and Jae Gu, giggling happily together as she taught him how to do a Dempsey roll before they went out for dinner. She imagined that picture as a whole suddenly sprouting legs and beginning to race in to the distance while another imaginary image of her held out a hand to try and stop the escaping picture. She imagined that imaginary her crying out a forlorn, 'No! Come back!'

Dal Dal, on the other hand had a sudden vivid flashback to right after the first day of school when they had opening ceremonies. It was of when she returned home, and gushed to her mom about how she had met a boy, and how they had almost kissed. Her mom had seemed uneasy as Dal Dal described the tender scene, how she had smashed a window and tried to flip the boy over so she could pin him to the ground. Dal Dal remembered how her mother had worriedly asked if she had checked to see if he was already seeing someone or not, and how she had snorted at the very idea. Dal Dal began to wonder if maybe she should pay a bit more attention to her mom when it came to dating.

In Gyi remained the perfect picture of calm, but inside her inner maiden fluttered wildly. Was that why he hadn't even bothered to peak? Because he was already dating a girl so beautiful that even the body of the Queen wasn't enough to even make him interested? Maybe she was just too old? In Gyi was a third year after all, and she must be like some over the hill granny compared to some young freshmen girl.

After the original reaction, the three ended up by complete coincidence having an identical secondary reaction.

"You have a girlfriend!" the all shrieked at varying volumes.

Jae Gu winced at the noise, and the twins put their hands up to their ears at the volume. "Nobody asked," he reminded them.

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu sighed as the noise from the one room of his home continued. He had halfway been hoping that dropping the bomb about his girlfriend would be enough to clear the unexpected visitors out of his house. Still, he was almost impressed at how quickly Moon Young recovered. She really was a reliable Sunbae, to be able to change the mood so quickly.

Now if only she wasn't changing the mood in a way which riled up the twins and kept him from being able to go to bed. Well, at least Jae Som and Jae Hyung were having fun. It warmed his heart to see the two so happy, and despite their personal differences Jae Hyung was apparently a big Queen fan.

Still, if he was going to have to be up, at least he could accomplish something. He had excused himself earlier to head outside and take care of the laundry. If he was going to be up, then he could get some chores finished.

He'd just finished hanging up his other pair of underwear, when he heard the door open quietly behind him. He stiffened briefly, sparing a quick glance behind him to see who the visitor was, before he let himself relax.

In Gyi watched as Jae Gu continued to wash his and his siblings clothes. She did so in silence, mostly because she had no idea what to say.

So much had happened today, that Queen honestly didn't know how to react to it all. She had always known she was rich, and that the way she lived was different to the way others did. But knowing it and seeing it were too different things.

How could someone live a life like this, scraping a living one day at a time, existing with not even the true bare essentials, not even able to relax at home? Song Jae Gu didn't even have the money for tea of all things.

Inexplicably, In Gyi remembered how they first met, and started to feel a little guilty about his coffee.

But despite everything she was feeling, she was still the Queen. Regardless of his circumstances, regardless of who was in the right and who was in the wrong, she still had a Queen's pride.

"Don't expect me to apologize or anything," she declared into the silence that had built as she had watched him clean his clothes. "I didn't know anything about your circumstances. And I don't think that I did anything that wrong, either."

Jae Gu was quiet, and In Gyi felt the need to fill that quiet.

"And also!" she blazed on, picking up steam. "You're mistaken about something. The Wilds League isn't just some school sports festival. It is a professional tournament. All the students have had to go through a proper tournament to even qualify for it."

Jae Gu was still quiet, and In Gyi felt her own frustration growing at his lack of response.

"There have been coed fights before, and the tournament is open to all!" her voice started to gain a little heat at seeing the boy she was going so far as to explain herself to apparently ignore her. "No one will look down on you for being poor there! The Wilds League is a stage that the whole world recognizes as prestigious!"

Jae Gu paused, and In Gyi took that as a sign, pressing on with growing passion.

"It is not a shameful thing to lose against a professional martial artist, much less the reigning champion of the Wilds League! That's what the Wilds League means, and what 'Queen' means too." Because no matter how much the boy might unsettle her, it didn't change the fact that she was one of the strong. She had worked hard, shed blood, sweat, and tears to make herself what she was: a champion! "If you last even one minute against me, you can say that's the proudest moment of your life! It doesn't make me a…"

She cut herself off before she finished that last sentence, not wanting to reveal the real reason she was so upset, but too late she realized that Jae Gu had turned to look at her out of the corner of her eye. She also realized that he was smiling slightly as he watched her.

"You were really that upset, when I called you a monster?" Jae Gu asked her, and he sounded amused , In Gyi realized. She very carefully did not flush at his statement, though her lips did press together briefly as she kept herself from reacting to his accurate guess. "You shouldn't have been. It was a compliment."

In Gyi bristled a bit at that. This boy… How had he guessed just what unsettled she was! Why was it like this every time! And how on earth could anyone mean something like 'monster' as a compliment?

"Life is a war," Jae Gu continued, and this time it was his turn to take command of the silence. "Every day is a battle. No matter who you are, or where you are, everyone has hardships. I'm no different from everyone else: everyone has their own problems, and everyone has to struggle against them."

He didn't even look up from his wash bin as he spoke, his tone didn't change. Queen bit her lips slightly, a part of her wanting to wince at hearing someone younger than her saying something so cynical.

"And even if life is a war, it still has rules," Jae Gu continued. "People obey the laws, they obey society. Rules like 'don't take what isn't yours' or 'don't be rude'. Rules like 'if your Sunbae come by, offer them tea'," Jae Gu shrugged before continuing. "Or even 'if someone insults you and apologizes, forgive them'."

In Gyi felt uncomfortable, knowing that last rule had been aimed at her.

"So what do you call it when someone comes along who doesn't follow the rules, who isn't fighting the war like everyone else?" Jae Gu went on. "They're the kind who can walk through life, doing what they need or even what they want each day without hesitating. Even if they do regret something every once in a while, they keep on doing it, always able to make the decision to do whatever it takes, no matter what. No matter who they hurt, or how much a risk it is, they just keep doing what they want to do. Someone like that, they're not 'people'. They're 'monsters'. If life is a war, then monsters are the ones who are winning the battles.

"I admire monsters."

In Gyi was silent, staring at the boy in front of her. He looked… tired. Literally tired. Tomorrow morning, he would get up early enough to get his siblings ready for school, she realized. After that, he would go to school himself. In Gyi and Moon Young had went to his house immediately after club activities, which had lasted for an hour after school ended, but they had been waiting for hours before he arrived himself. And even after he got back, he still had to take care of the house, do chores, wash clothes.

Just like he did the day before. Just like he would do the next day; multiplied by a thousand days before, multiplied by a thousand days after.

"You said earlier that if I could last just one minute against you, that would be the proudest moment of my life," Jae Gu went on. "You're wrong. If I can get those two," he nodded to the room where the twins were playing with Dal Dal and Moon Young, "all the way through high school, if I can get them to college, if I can watch them go on to live happy lives, that will be the proudest moment of my life. But if I'm going to do that, then I can't take any risks. I can't be a monster. I can't do anything that will ruin their chances, I can't be one of the ones who break the rules. If I mess up, if something happens to me, than who knows what will happen to those two?"

Jae Gu's voice hadn't been getting louder as he spoke, but he had grown fiercer. At some point his hands had locked onto the wash bin, and when In Gyi realized she'd been hearing a rattling noise she also realized that he was squeezing on the bin so hard that it was shaking. Jae Gu seemed to realize what he was doing when she did, and between one second and the next, all the tension left his body.

He couldn't be a monster. He didn't have that freedom. He had chains, his siblings, that held him back from much of the things that might have been able to accomplish if he was alone.

And he didn't regret it one bit. For the twins, Jae Gu would do anything, and he would do it with an honest smile.

That was what In Gyi realized, watching the boy in front of her as he finished pinning up the last bit of laundry to dry overnight. But it didn't mean he couldn't watch on contentedly as others enjoyed that freedom he was denied.

When he turned to face her fully, he was smiling that understanding look, that gaze that was filled with pride and admiration, and In Gyi had to fight back an urge to hyperventilate. The butterflies at war with the snakes in her stomach had made a triumphant return, trouncing their serpentine foes so that they could dance their fluttery victory dances.

"You should be proud to be a monster," he told her.

At that moment, In Gyi was.

She didn't even notice the way the wash pan that Jae Gu had been gripping earlier had been dented, the imprints of each of his fingers clear in the metal.

And neither of them noticed the soft jingle of bells in the distance as they disappeared into the night.

*Scene Break*

Hwang Jae Oh was a proud member of the underworld. It was his first year at Dong Ah Sang High, and he had been sure that it would be his debut. He'd been fighting ever since elementary school, fighting and winning. Through all of his middle school years, he had been the top fighter in his school, the one that everyone knew to look away from, who everyone knew was to be watched out for.

Jae Oh had learned every dirty trick, every cheap shot, every place that you could hit to hurt who he was fighting. He had been strong, and others had gathered to him, pledging to call him 'Hyung' the older brother, the leader.

When he had made it to high Dong Ah Sang, he had been expecting to have to prove himself. After all, he was only a first year, and these would be his Sunbae. He had made sure to find out who the other gangs he would have to look out for were, and had been prepared to fight to get his acceptance.

That was what he thought would happen, anyway. He had been quite surprised when he learned that there would be no matches to prove his worth, no Sunbae to align himself to.

There were gangs, yes, but Jae Oh was disgusted to learn that they had all managed to come to peace! There was no backstabbing, no fights for glory or territory! These, these weren't the Sunbae he imagined! These weren't the proud fighting circles he had been looking to make a name in! These were just sad and pathetic shells, declawed and defanged dogs, whimpering the names of their useless masters!

Whoever this 'Monster Lord' was, whoever those 'Heavenly Knights' could be, there was no way they were all his worthless Sunbae said they were!

That was what Jae Oh had thought, and when the time to pay tribute had come, he had sneered.

Monster Lord or Heavenly Knights! It didn't matter! He had heard the stories about them, and in the end they were all just women, no, girls, who had gotten a little too full of themselves! If he had to be the one to take them down, then it would be he who earned the right to rule!

…was what Jae Oh had thought would happen, anyway.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Jae Oh gasped, panting for breath as he ran. He clutched his arm to his chest, trying to ignore the shooting agony in it. He had thought any girl in a swim suit was just a slut waiting for a man to show her her place, but then… then she had…

Behind him, he heard that sound. That ominous sound.

'Clack-clack. Clack-clack.'

Those boots! Oh god, those boots! His jaw ached, and his eye was swollen almost shut. His ribs burned, and every step was agony in his knee. Those boots!

'Clack-clack. Clack-clack.'

How! How were they getting closer? He knew he was running faster than that steady, terrifying noise, but always they seemed to be right behind him!

"Gotta get away. Gotta get away. Gotta get away," Jae Oh panted his mantra, trying to make a turn, to twist and weave through the streets to get away from the sound of those boots. The others were gone now, those who called him 'Hyung'. Jae Oh swore that if he made it out of here tonight, that if he got away, he would change his act. He would help his younger sister and mother around the house, he would focus on his grades, he'd apologize to the Sunbae who he had insulted, anything! Just let him get away!

Jae Oh's shoulder slammed into a wall and he bounced off it as he ducked into an alley. He blinked sweat from his eyes, frantically trying to put more distance between him and that sound. Despite his desperate panting, he heard the sound of… was that bells? Whatever! He sprinted as best he could to the end of the alley, and as he went he caught sight of someone in front of him.

He nearly froze, cold shards of fear driving into his stomach, but then he made out the details. Small, slim, blonde hair, with a red ribbon on the bangs. What the hell! It was just some middle school girl playing with some ridiculous fan! It wasn't one of them!

"Get out of the way you fucking brat!" he shouted, charging with every intention of running this newcomer down, maybe using the soon to be crying girl as a lure to keep those… those MONSTERS away from him.

He reached out to grab the brat's head, to slam her to the side, and then…

The world spun. Agony shot through his legs, and he had only a brief moment to wonder, 'What the fu..'

And then he slammed into the wall of the alley, and his vision spun.

"Oh? Tamamo? I thought you were going to look after the children." Jae Oh had trouble making out the scene in the haze he'd been sent to, but even if he couldn't really understand it, he could see it. A redhead bearing a lead pipe, dressed in a biker suit. The Knight of Fire, Granberia.

"Hmph. Worthless human," a low contralto spoke up. Jae Oh's arm flared in remembered pain as Erubetie, the Knight of Water, appeared. "You should have thrown him harder."

"Now, now," a jovial voice joined in, melodic and beautiful. "There's no reason to waste him! He's such a cute boy, after all. That hair…" Alma Elma, the Knight of Wind moaned. "I could find a use for him!"

"Well, I had been watching them," the girl Jae Oh had tried to use as a distraction drawled, sounding amused as she tapped her cheeks with a fan, other arm perched on her tiny waist. He stared at her with growing horror as he recognized her from the description his Sunbae had given him. Oh god, he had just attacked Tamamo, the Knight of Earth! "But he had company tonight, so when he showed up I made sure to stay out of sight!"

"Oh?" The sound of that voice made Jae Oh shiver, and even with the world spinning around him, he tried to crawl to safety. The 'clack-clack, clack-clack' her boots made with every step made him shiver, and when a flash of snake skin appeared before him, firmly settling itself inches from his nose he tried to scream but couldn't quite make the sound come out. "Company?"

Alice, the Lord of Monsters had arrived. Her hair flowed around her like the shroud on a corpse, grey and thin. Jae Oh whimpered.

"Indeed! It was most interesting!" Tamamo giggled softly. "It seems that our little Luka has admirers! Three girls from his new school, two of them who tracked down his house and one of them who just tracked him in person! T'was most amusing!"

"Amusing how?" Alice inquired. It wasn't quite a question, but wasn't quite a demand either. She didn't seem worried, or angry, Jae Oh noted distantly. Just curious.

"It seems our little Luka has been elected for a chance to fight a Queen," Tamamo elaborated. She idly flicked her fan open, using it slowly. The tiny girl was smiling a small, mysterious smile. It set Jae Oh on edge.

"Which one?" Granberia demanded softly. The Queen of Dragons had perched herself on the wall, arms folded and one leg bent to rest the foot on the bricks behind her. "All the Queens should already have been brought in line. If one of them is rebelling…"

Even with her arms crossed, one hand remained firmly gripped on the lead pipe beside her. If there was a rebellion on hand, then she would see it end. Brutally.

"The Queen of the Wilds," Tamamo answered her. From where she was waiting, one arm hanging and the other folded to grasp its elbow, Erubetie bristled.

"Queen of the Wilds," the environmentalist muttered, the name like a curse on her tongue. "One of the future heirs of the YK Corporation? Those worthless bastards that destroy acres of unvarnished wilderness just to put up resorts?"

Erubetie's voice never rose beyond its soft, low, drawl, but Jae Oh shuddered anyway.

"Oh!" Alma Elma perked. "You mean that school with the cute uniforms? All those lovely ladies…"

Again, Jae Oh shuddered as the Knight of Wind began to do… inappropriate things, without regard to where she currently was.

"Hmph," Granberia grunted, losing interest. "A worthless collection of spoiled princess?" She spat to the side. "I'm looking for real fights, not dressed up tea parties."

"Granberia," Alice spoke calmly, politely, as though she hadn't just destroyed an entire gang, as though Jae Oh wasn't cowering beneath her. "Remember the Illias Prepatory Institution. No matter their background, it is no reason to underestimate them."

"Of course, Ma'am," Granberia sounded genuinely apologetic at the reminder of the darker days of the Hellgondo ladder system. "My apologies."

"Accepted," Alice nodded slightly, and Granberia relaxed at the motion. "Still, it seems that a challenge has arisen. We can't let our Luka meet it alone."

"Certainly not," Alma Elma agreed in a moan, still doing inappropriate things.

"Without a doubt," Granberia added firmly.

"They will suffer," Erubetie confirmed in a dead tone.

"Agreed," Tamamo chirped, tapping her chin with her fan.

"Well then," Alice finished idly. Jae Oh shivered as she tapped her booted feet. 'Clack-clack. Clack-clack.' "Let's see what this Wilds has to offer." The sight of snake skin disappeared, and Jae Oh gasped in relief. Until the Monster Lord spoke once more. "Oh yes. Alma Elma. This one is yours."

"Thank you, most prestigious Lord of Monsters!" the Queen of Succubae proclaimed happily. Jae Oh had only a moment to shiver before he was pulled down from the wall he was sprawled against. "Oh!" Alma shuddered, hands still roaming about her own body. "How best to shame you!"

Jae Oh tried to scream, but even being left in the grips of Knight of Wind was better than being in the Monster Lord's presence. Just as long as he never heard those boots again, he could live with whatever happened next.


	6. Chapter 6

Monsters of the Wilds

Chapter Five

_Author's Notes: And here it is, the next chapter of Monsters. Just a heads up, I have every intention of going back to In Flight at this point, though if the muse says otherwise I guess that might change. You never know._

_Anyway, reviews are pretty average at this point, most people just expressing interest in the story one way or the other. Nothing to address there._

_So, as is my idiom, on to the next step._

_*Spoiler Alert*_

_So, this chapter covers like eight or nine chapters from the original GotW, a reflection no doubt of the episodic nature of webcomics, so no worries there. It was actually pretty tricky, interweaving so many scenes in to one large chapter. I thought about cutting it short and releasing it in a couple of smaller chapters, but ya know what? This is my relaxation story, so monster chapter it is, pardon the pun._

_Big things to note, I was trying to give a solid glimpse at what each of the Heavenly Knights' fighting style was here. I wasn't kidding when I said that I had been playing with this idea for a while, so I had a good grasp of what I wanted from them, but as always the transition from in my head to on your page can be tricky. Expect more details later._

_Also, I had a bit of a problem when it came to adding extraneous characters. I don't know nearly enough about Korean names to come up with them on the spot, so in the end I just stole names shamelessly from the only other Korean work that I was at all familiar with._

_On that note, try watching 'Volcano High' sometimes. If you do, you'll know just what names I'm talking about. Feel a bit bad about taking 'Icy Jade's' name for a bit character, but eh, whatcha gonna do?_

_*Scene Break*_

_So read on as things get inexplicably complicated with ridiculous quickness, I juggle with my inability to write third person nearly as well as I do the first, and stuff happens! Huzzah!_

_And also, I think I might be overusing '!' a bit. It's kinda hard to write excitable teenage girls without it, but still..._

*Story Start*

Kim Hye Shin was furious! She hadn't believed it when she had checked the line ups. As a previous contender for the Wilds League, she was practically religious when it came to checking for any updates about the tournament. So imagine her surprise when the unthinkable happened, and the champion of the League had gone out and chose an opponent for her first match.

Hye Shin had competed the previous year, and this was the year she was going to knock that pretentions bitch off the top spot. Going so far as to call herself a Queen? Just how full of herself could a girl be?

Hye Shin couldn't stand Queen. She'd been the one to take Hye Shin out last year. Because of that, Hye Shin had sworn that she would be the one to take that rich girl down. She had trained hard, and even managed to wrangle a challenge match using just kick boxing rules…

Well, she had lost, but that bitch must have cheated somehow! There was no way that she would lose in straight kick boxing.

So, with renewed vigor, Hye Shin had been preparing herself, training even while she was recovering from the last fight for the next fight.

And then, out of nowhere, some complete stranger had shown up to claim the first match with Queen.

Who the hell was Song Jae Gu? In the professional circles, most fighters knew each other if only by reputation. It was the result of following tournaments, studying matches, preparing to face your competition. But this Jae Gu, no matter how much Hye Shin had looked last night she hadn't been able to find a thing about this kid.

Who was he to claim the first round, and with the champion at that? Was he really that good, to be able to just waltz by the back breaking preliminaries, to not have to pay his dues and prove himself like every other fighter that was competing? What made this boy so damn special!

Kim Hye Shin wouldn't rest until she found exactly that out.

"Oi!" she shouted, glaring around her at the milling students around the courtyard of Wilds High. Hye Shin had gathered a few of her supporters, a couple of girls she knew from various clubs. Goo Ra High wasn't the most prestigious of schools, like Wilds, but it did have a strong emphasis on sports. For all its lack of flashy facilities Goo Rah still ranked pretty high in just about any tournament one of its students entered. Each of the girls she had brought with her was a nationally ranked fighter of one type or another. "Where is the first year Song Jae Gu?"

If this were any other school, a group of rough looking student from another school showing and shouting out a challenge would probably have been met with some unease. As it was, the most Hye Shin got was curious looks, and a few passersby who paused to watch idly. Hye Shin grit her teeth, another well of irritation swelling in her. God, was everyone in this school so arrogant?

"Where is Song Jae Gu?" she shouted again, folding her arms and tapping her feet as she scowled in irritation. "Tell that coward to get out here already!" There, that would help speed this up. She supposed the kid could already be in school and far enough inside not to hear her, but word would get to him quick enough. And if he wasn't here yet, she was standing directly in front of the entrance, so she'd get him soon enough. "Unless he's too scared to step up…"

"Scared?" a new voice cut her off. It was female though, so it couldn't be Song Jae Gu. Hye Shin gave an irritated look over to the new speaker. "A coward? Someone should take more effort to be courteous. It will help them live longer."

"Who the hell are you?" Hye Shin scowled, glaring at the presumptuous tart that had interrupted her challenge. It was a girl, a bit taller than average, with long grey hair bound up at the end with a black and pink ribbon. "You friends of Song Jae Gu?"

"Friends," the newcomer repeated flatly, cocking her head to the side. "You could say that." Hye Shin took a moment to give her a better look over. She scowled self-consciously when she realized that whoever this was, they were pretty good looking; a lovely face, respectable bust, and long legs which were…

"Is that snake skin?" one of the girls she had brought, Chae Yi, a member of the fencing club that tended to wear a surgical mask at times, muttered confusedly.

"Friends," another voice chuckled, and Hye Shin realized that whoever this newcomer was, she wasn't alone. There were five of them in total, and as she looked she realized that whoever they were, they weren't from Wilds; their uniforms were different. Especially the one who was speaking now. "I would think you'd settle for nothing less than 'very good friends indeed', Alice."

Hye Shin scowled in disgust at the speaker, though inside she felt a sharp stab of jealousy. Even if she tried to pull off an outfit that provocative, she would just fall flat compared to this walking wet dream.

"What the hell do you want, slut?" Hye Shin growled, turning most of her heat to the one who had spoken last, the one with the heels, short skirt, and a cleavage so deep you could mine for gold in it.

"Looks like she has you figured out, Alma," the only one not wearing a school uniform noted with a snort. She had a biker suit on, and tossed over her shoulder was an enormous length of lead pipe. Hye Shin wanted to snort at the image. Whoever they were, they were trying too hard to pull of the delinquent look.

"That's fine," Alma hummed, winking at Hye Shin as though she hadn't just insulted her. "I like it when they talk dirty, Granberia."

"You like just about everything, Alma," the shortest one spoke up, her tone one of good natured berating as she chided her taller friend.

"That's because everything feels good, if you do it right, Tamamo," Alma admitted easily.

"All of you," the final member, a dirty looking girl in a mixed and matched school uniform . If Hye Shin wasn't dealing with her ever growing frustration and anger at the lack of finding her target, she would have found the swimsuit to be ridiculous. Especially since it looked wet, and the swathes of skin that weren't fully covered looked as though they had a film of dirt caked on her. "Focus."

"Right, right, Erubetie," Tamamo assured the final newcomer.

"Who the hell are all of you?" Hye Shin finally snapped, glaring at the five as they approached. They were getting nearly as many looks from the Wilds students as she was at this point. The crowd was forming, slow but steady as the one in front led the four easily to stand in front of the Goo Ra students.

"Alice," the snake girl said flatly, coming to a stop at a distance close enough that it only could be called 'confrontational'. "Now. You said something earlier. Repeat it."

"Who the hell do you think…" Hye Shin began, snapping at the strange woman who must have a death wish to try and start something with her, the best kick boxer in her school, when a sudden hiss from her side, and a quick tug at her shoulder caused her to switch her glare to one of the girls she had brought along, Yo Seon.

"That uniform," Yo Seon flinched slightly at the glare, but pressed on. "Those are Hellgondo students!"

"Hellgondo?" Hye Shin repeated, eyes narrowing as she tried to remember just where she had heard that word before. It took her a second to remember, and then her scowl grew derisive. "That delinquent school for pathetic wannabe fighters?" She snorted, and turned a condescending look at Alice. "What? You get so full of yourself rolling over middle schoolers for their lunch money that you think you can handle real fighters? Get out of here, before I show you what a real school like Goo Ra can do."

A rustle went through the Wilds High crowd as word spread that a group of delinquents had arrived at their noble school. Phones were surreptitiously pulled, and word began to spread.

Hye Shin couldn't feel anything but contempt when it came down to delinquents. Worthless blow-hards, who spent all their time picking on those weaker than them and pretending that made them tough. She fully believed that against a real fighter, against a professional who spent all their time training and improving themselves, a delinquent was just a paper tiger waiting for a wind to knock it over.

Alice didn't seem affected by her obvious scorn. In fact, her expression didn't change at all. She just cocked her head to the side briefly, before turning to regard Tamamo. "Goo Ra?"

"One moment, please," the short girl declared, and Hye Shin looked on in confusion as the tiny girl, and just how much of a delinquent could someone that small really be? The tiny girl reached into the pocket of her oversized blazer to pull out a tiny battered notebook. "Ah!" she declared, flipping easily through it. "Goo Ra: current gangs are the Dark Oxen, led by Jang Rang, and The Rugby Union, led by Shim Ma. Both gangs have pledged loyalty and paid their dues!"

Hye Shin straightened, shocked at the declaration. She knew Jang Rang! The boy was in the same year as her, and had led his team to the national semi-finals in weight lifting last year! More than that, he was huge, a hulking figure that could bench press her easily!

He was in a gang? But she hadn't heard anything about that! She hadn't even known Goo Ra had gangs! Much less that Goo Ra's gangs had been conquered!

"Inform them of the rudeness of their school, and have them make reparations," Alice ordered, and Tamamo cheerfully made a note in her book before tucking it away. "Now," she turned back to continue that flat look she had been giving Hye Shin since she arrived. "What you said before."

"What I said before?" Hye Shin repeated, still a little off guard by this unexpected development. Scowling, she remembered the reason that she had arrived. "I said that Song Jae Gu is a coward, and too scared to come out and face me!" she declared boldly.

Alice smiled. It was a thin pressing of her lips, and her eyes narrowed as she did so. Hye Shin suddenly felt like she was looking at a snake, and that snake was coiling back, preparing to strike.

"Oh?" even her voice was like a hiss.

"Hmph," Granberia snorted. She had separated from the group, taking a position at the gate to the school where she could assume her usual position, arms folded and leg up as the lead bar she favored was propped beside her. From there she could watch both the growing confrontation as well as the street leading to the gate. "As though you're even worth the effort. The strong don't have to deal with small fries."

Hye Shin bristled, preparing to unleash her own insult, but then she paused, eyes widening as she realized something important.

Whoever these people thought they were, one thing was for sure: they knew who Song Jae Gu was!

She'd spent hours trying to find any information on him, trying to understand why he would get the honor of facing the Queen, and here were the people who had the answers! Now how to get them…

"I'm Guu Ra High's second year, Kim Hye Shin!" she declared, giving a smile meant to show off teeth as she found her chance to find out what she wanted. "As a participant of last year's matches, I have the right to use the Wild League's preliminary rings whenever I want! Follow me if you want to prove that you're anything but big words!"

"A match?" Granberia spoke coldly, pushing herself off the wall and grabbing her lead pipe. "If you think that something as pathetic as a match is enough to…"

"Granberia," Alice cut her off, and instantly the biker girl stopped, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Of course, Ma'am," Granberia capitulated instantly. "My apologies."

"Well," Alice turned back to Hye Shin. The kick boxer was giving a cautious look at Granberia, trying to understand just what had happened there. She had thought the biker was going to start something right here and now, but she had backed down so quickly. "Lead the way, so we can see if you're worthy of facing our Luka."

"Luka?" Hye Shin scowled, not understanding what the word meant. She was looking for Song Jae Gu…

Hye Shin had no idea that even though she had spent all night looking for anything about 'Song Jae Gu' and found nothing, if she had looked up the name 'Luka' at all she would have found a great deal more.

"Just an affectionate nickname," Tamamo answered easily. The tiny girl sounded amused by the confusion. "We are of course speaking of Song Jae Gu. Worry not, young lady!"

"Young lady?" Hye Shin spat. "Just how old are you supposed to be? Twelve?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," unexpectedly it was Erubetie who answered that, Tamamo grinning mischievously.

"Whatever," Hye Shin, scowled. "Follow me!"

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu scowled, tapping his foot as he did so.

"Luka-hyung," Jae Hyung whined. "I'm getting bored. When is the bus going to come?"

"Me too, Luka-oppa," Jae Som added. "Why isn't it here yet?"

"My name isn't Luka," Jae Gu patiently reminded the two. Not so patiently he added on a moment later, "And this is it. If that bus driver doesn't get here in the next thirty seconds, you two are riding with Granberia-noona from now on."

"Yea! Granberia-unni!" "Granberia-noona!" two happy voices cheered in unison.

"I'm late again!" Jae Gu was not a happy camper. Not one bit.

*Scene Break*

"Hmm?" Moon Young hummed as swung a foot idly, looking down at her cell phone. "Seems like there's something going on in the preliminary rings."

In Gyi perked slightly, but that was the extent of her reaction. Moon Young gave her a careful look, trying to get a read on her longtime friend.

Well, something was definitely up. Moon Young was familiar enough with Queen for her to be able to tell that much. Problem was, the boxer had no idea just what that 'something' was.

It didn't take a genius to figure out it probably had something to do with Jae Gu, she decided. Considering just how much the boy had been getting to Queen lately it was pretty much even money that if she was acting weird it was Jae Gu's fault in some way or another. The problem was, Moon Young couldn't figure out just what this particular reaction was in regards to.

Though if she were to guess, Moon Young would probably chalk it up to finding out that Jae Gu had a girlfriend. God knew that was what was eating Moon Young up.

A part of her was willing to shrug, and just let it go. She had been interested in Jae Gu, true, but it wasn't like she had been planning how many kids the two of them were going to have after falling madly in love or anything like that. Moon Young could admit to being interested in the kid: he was decent to look at, responsible, family oriented in a way which made her want to 'd'awwww', and well, he was the only guy near her age she really had even the slightest chance to spend a lot of time with casually.

All that aside though, it wasn't like they were soul mates. Maybe if things had been different, if they had spent some time getting to know each other, maybe something would have come out of it. But even without the potential boyfriend aspect, Moon Young still liked the kid, and the image of her teaching him the Dampsey roll right before a lovey dovey dinner could just as well be replaced with the image of the two of them laughing while doing mitts and talking about their day as friends.

That aside, the fact that Jae Gu had a girlfriend was upsetting to her for another reason:

The fact that he even had one!

The kid was barely a freshman and he already had a girlfriend! And he had had one for a while too judging from the way the twins had talked about her! And here she was, a second year and she had never been on a date in her life!

Moon Young was too young to be feeling left behind in love!

"Let's see what's going on," Moon Young muttered to herself, idly tapping at her smartphone. It was more in order to distract herself from her abysmal love life than any real interest, but any port in a storm when it came to distraction. "Oh? Isn't that Kim Hye Shin?"

If Moon Young had been expecting a reaction from Queen, she would have been disappointed. Despite the fact that Hye Shin seemed to think of the Queen as a rival, Queen honestly didn't think twice about her outside of the minutes in the ring when they were fighting.

"Huh," Moon Young felt she had waited long enough for Queen to make a response if she was going to, and focused back on her phone. "She's leading someone to a ring. But they don't look like anyone from our school. What's going on here?"

Now growing interested in the events at the ring as more than just a distraction, Moon Young started fiddling with her phone, her tongue peeking out of her lips as she pulled up the quickest way to find out what was going on in a school of pubescent girls:

Twitter.

"Let's see," Moon Young muttered to herself. It was fairly easy to get the highlights just with a few glances, and she read out loud as she did so. "Delinquents? Oh, so that's a Hellgondo High uniform. But what are they… ah, here it is. 'Oh gosh! Goo Ra thugs looking for Jae Gu!'…"

Moon Young trailed off at that. Okay. This had just moved beyond a way to distract herself from her lack of love life. Next to her, the Queen paused, head tilting in a way which meant she was paying attention herself.

"What the… 'Goo Ra thugs, looking for Jae Gu'?" Moon Young scratched her head as she shifted through the posts, trying to make sense of a couple dozen one sentence updates of the last few minutes. "Delinquents arrive'? 'Goo Ra VS Hellgondo'? 'Luka is such a cute nickname'…"

Moon Young froze, the last post coming out of nowhere. "Luka? As in…" She scowled.

How the hell had the whole school learned Jae Gu's nickname? She had had to stake out his house for four hours before she had got that much!

Wait. How HAD the whole school got his nickname? Jae Gu had gotten so embarrassed last night when it got brought up. He wouldn't have just blabbed it to any of his classmates…

Moon Young wasn't the smartest out there, but she wasn't dumb either.

She even managed to make the connection without reasoning it through out loud, which proved just how obvious a connection it was.

"Someone down there knows Jae Gu," she declared softly. Beside her, Queen tensed, her head bowed so her bangs would cover her face. It was an inscrutable pose, one which revealed nothing.

Fortunately, Moon Young had enough experience with In Gyi to be able to read that much about her friend anyway.

"What?" Moon Young grinned, glad to have the chance to needle her friend. "You want to go down there and get some answers? You do? Right? Don'tcha?"

In Gyi looked away, very carefully not meeting Moon Young's eyes. The boxer snorted, barely holding back a full bellied laugh.

"What? The Queen can't bring herself to go out and solve a mystery?" Moon Young pushed herself off the window sill she had perched on, grinning all the while. "Well, you'd probably cry if I didn't go look, wouldn't you?"

Queen never looked, but Moon Young could practically feel the glare she was leveling at the window she had turned to. Maybe some kind of reflective aggression? Whatever! It made her feel invigorated. Yup! Someone was fired up!

"Well, I guess you're lucky I'm as curious as you are!" Moon Young declared, chuckling as she left. The laughter lasted as long as it took for her to close the door between her and Queen. The moment it was shut it was replaced by a scowl. She pulled up her phone, keeping an eye on the unfolding fight even as she broke into a jog to make it to the actual arenas.

'Who are these people?' she demanded in her head. A gang of belligerent professional fighters with overinflated senses of self-worth on the Goo Ra side, and a pack from the Female Delinquent Capital of the city on the other.

And they were apparently about to go to war over the only boy in Wilds High.

*Scene Break*

"Hmph," Alice snorted, glancing around the preliminary match rings. Two large red circles on a wide spread stadium with padded tiling. Around the arena stretched a vast auditorium, almost a coliseum in its make, where rows upon rows of seats waited to seat legions of viewers. "How prosaic."

"Keep talking big," Hye Shin sneered, stomping up to the circle which defined the edges of the preliminary ring. As she went she tugged at the shoulder of her school blazer, yanking it off. Tossing it aside carelessly, she took her place in the ring, turning to glare at the five Hellgondo students. "Come!"

Alice gave a soft snort at the blatant posing, but was about to step into the ring when Alma Elma skipped to stand in front of her.

"Wait, Monster Lord," the seductive girl protested, and Hye Shin narrowed her eyes at the ridiculous title. Was that some sort of delinquent thing, making up nicknames like that? "I want this one, please!"

"Alma Elma?" Alice asked, cocking her head to the side before she seemed to realize something. She gave what could have been a frustrated sigh at her subordinate. "Is it because she called you a slut and told you to 'come'?"

"Exactly!" Alma cheerfully agreed, swishing her hips to the side playfully. Hye Shin realized she had unconsciously followed the sway of the skirt and the way it showed the…

Hye Shin froze, staring in consternation, before a blush formed high on her cheeks. Was this girl really not wearing anything under a skirt that short? That was insane!

"Fine," Alice sighed, folding her arms and stepping back. She began to tap her foot impatiently. "Just end it quickly enough. We do have other business here."

"You can't be serious about sending a whore like this to fight," Hye Shin demanded, still flushing. Alma seemed amused by that, already sauntering into the ring with a slow, seductive strut.

"Mmmm," she leaned forward, stretching both hands behind her, and Hye Shin had to force herself to look away from her opponents chest as it was displayed…

And in that moment where she wasn't looking, Alma Elma moved. Hye Shin hadn't thought she would be that fast, or that anyone would be able to move that surely wearing heels that high, but she managed to see it out of the corner of her eye in time to arch her back desperately. Less than a heartbeat later, a flash of something sharp cut right by where her cheek had been a second ago, a rising kick from her enemy which brought her leg high enough to reveal to the now desperately confused Hye Shin that no, this girl really wasn't wearing any panties at all!

"You're right," Alma Elma grinned as she recovered from her kick, spinning playfully as Hye Shin threw herself back to gain space between her and the now far too close Hellgondo student. "We're not serious at all. Let's have a fun time playing together, cutie!"

"You!" Hye Shin growled, no longer willing to take her eyes away from the unexpectedly fast opponent. Had the other girl showed off like that deliberately to put her off guard? What a shameless way to create openings! "You think…" she trailed off abruptly, shivering as something unexpectedly cool brushed against her skin.

Looking down, she realized that she hadn't dodged the kick, not completely anyway. Beneath the black uniform tie, the top two buttons of her blouse had been torn off, ripped free by the precise strike of the blade of Alma's stiletto heels. Hye Shin wasn't the most developed of girls, her strict martial arts lifestyle probably helping her in keeping her bust size down, but she still had a womanly figure, and though her tie was managing to keep the top of her uniform from spreading too widely, but it didn't change the fact that the very top of her cleavage was starting to peek through the gap as well.

"Mmm," Alma moaned, bringing Hye Shin's glard back at her only to find Alma licking her lips slowly, eyeing the brief display. "It's a start."

Hye Shin realized in that instant that the buttons hadn't been an accident, and that she hadn't dodged at all. This girl she was fighting had missed her face on purpose, having already hit her targets. Hye Shin had heard of fighting styles that deliberately targeted the enemies' clothes, but those were supposed to be for grapples, or pins, or some kind of wrestling move. Moves like that weren't supposed to target the clothes just to destroy them!

Hye Shin also realized that if she wasn't careful, those two buttons would just be the beginning.

"What a screwed up fighting style," she growled, settling into a guard stance. She didn't have any more complaints about having to fight this girl, regardless of how she looked. For someone to be able to throw a kick that accurate while wearing shoes like that, they had to have at least a bit of skill. After she beat this slut down, she'd just have to see how Jae Gu compared to her. "But don't think I'm that easy."

"Oh good," Alma declared happily, leaning forward again, though this time Hye Shin didn't look away from the display. "I'll be sure to make you breakfast afterwards then."

Ready for it, Hye Shin didn't flinch away from the innuendo, and the fight began in earnest.

*Scene Break*

Lee Go Seul watched excitedly from the crowd as the match between the Goo Ra and the Hellgondo students began in earnest. Go Seul was only a first year, but she had heard all through middle school just how exciting a place Wilds High was, and she was bouncing happily in place like a child half her real age as she watched.

'This is great!' she cheered in her head. 'Wow! What amazing fighters, and none of them are even from our school! What must the Sunbae be like?'

Go Seul had always loved martial arts. It was something of a family tradition for the Lee household. Though her sister had preferred to focus just on kendo, and had become head of the Kendo Club once she had arrived, Go Seul had loved to try all different types of arts. Swords, pole arms, and Wushu, those were her personal favorites, but she had tried at least a dozen other types of martial arts before she had started focusing on those three in particular.

Because of that, even as the fight went on between the Hellgondo student and the Goo Ra student, it was the girl from Hellgondo which really caught her eye.

'What a fun looking style!' she thought happily, watching as Alma spun and twisted, lashing out with feet or hands seemingly however she pleased. Hye Shin had a very good form, and was an amazing fighter too, but it was Alma that stood out to Go Seul.

Still, Go Seul had to blush and look away after watching Alma throw another sharp, high kick.

'She's so bold!' Go Seul thought in a flustered manner. It was because she was looking away that she caught sight of the drama unfolding beside the ring.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to our Sunbae?" one of the Goo Ra girls declared, one of the girls who were wearing the sweater option for their uniform, looking enraged as she shouted at the remaining four Hellgondo students, specifically at Alice.

"Watching patiently from the sidelines," Alice told her bluntly, still tapping her boots. Go Seul could actually hear the audible 'Clack-Clack' from them when they hit the padded linoleum, and she felt impressed again.

'Those are some really nice boots,' she had to admit to herself. They must have incredibly hard soles to make such a distinct sound even against the semi soft ring.

"You arrogant…!" another Goo Ra girl declared, one of the ones wearing a blazer. She and the sweater girl shared a look and seemed to come to a conclusion. The two reached out, acting in concert as they tried to grab Alice's arms so they could pull her to the next ring.

They made it half a step before they were interrupted.

'So fast!' Go Seul cheered as Erubetie stepped between the two girls and Alice. The swim suited girl had reached out to grab one of each of the assaulting girls' arms, and it looked like despite the fact that there were two of them they couldn't push their assaulter away. In fact, Go Seul noted, they seemed to be wincing, and actually trying to back away, pulling at their captured arms without results.

"Scum," Erubetie declared softly. "Worthless polluting trash."

Go Seul watched with wide eyes and growing concern as the girl in the swimsuit tugged, pulling her arms across each other with enough force to cause the two girls to collide, slamming into each other's faces and chests, sending them both down to a pile on the ground with a cry of pain.

'Is she…?' Go Seul thought in shock, watching as Erubetie didn't let go there. Instead, she stomped on the two girls who had fallen in a pile in front of her, causing another pained shout.

"Trash like you should be broken," Erubetie told them, and Go Seul shivered at that cool, disinterested voice, something that seemed to dismiss the two out of hand. Without a care, Erubetie took a step sideways over the two, circling them while still holding their arms crossed, putting pressure on both of the limbs as she twisted them, a move meant to break both the limbs by using the other as a fulcrum…

However, before Erubetie could finish her brutal attack, she released both arms, stepping backwards smoothly as she dodged Go Seul's palm thrust at her stomach. Instead, Erubetie's eyes narrowed as she lashed out with her hands again, trying to grab the new attacking limb, but Go Seul had already snapped it back, pulling out of reach.

"Um," Go Seul said shyly, realizing that she had the eyes of not just Erubetie, but all the Hellgondo students; actually, all of the Goo Ra students too, and even the Wilds Students who had tagged along to watch the fight. "Your opponents seemed to have lost the will to fight?" she offered in embarrassment.

"If they don't have the will to fight, then they shouldn't have started one," Erubetie declared, eyes narrowed. "And if they do, they lose the right to complain when the fight ends." She reached up, pushing another wave of her dreadlocks out of her eyes. "How about you? Do you have the will to see it through?"

"Ah," Go Seul rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She pointed to the floor where the two of them had stepped into the bounds of the red circle. "Well, we are in the ring?" Her eyes widened, and she began to blush. "Oh! I just made my Wilds High debut!"

Even as she preened happily at having stepped onto the ring she had admired since she was in elementary school, she could feel her heart quicken for reasons other than joy. One of the girls who she had freed from Erubetie had pulled out a phone and was talking into it in angry tones, something someone coming to help, but what caught Go Seul's eyes was the marks on her wrist: a clear and obvious bruise, already blossoming a dark shade of purple from where the hand that had clenched it had squeezed hard enough to pop the blood vessels beneath. Go Seul could also see Erubetie's forearms, and how thick they were. As a student of the Chinese arts herself, Go Seul could attest to how gripping strength was shown in those regions. And the way she had manipulated the limbs once she had them, the way she had tried to snag Go Seul's own arm before she had pulled it back…

Go Seul decided that above all else, she could not let her opponent get a hold of her. It would be the end of the fight, without a doubt.

But what really stuck out to Go Seul was something else.

It was Erubetie's smell.

There was a strong scent of something woodsy on her, sandalwood Go Seul thought, but there was something else. Something dirty. Something she had smelled before recently.

"Um," Go Seul began, but despite her weak start her stance was firm. "Do you spend a lot of time around drainage ditches?"

"Yes," Erubetie answered evenly, not the least bit concerned by what had prompted the question. "Someone has to deal with the trash in them."

Go Seul hesitated for a moment, remembering the kind boy that had given her a hand, the one who had smelled just like Erubetie did right now. The boy who had gotten so evasive about why he smelled like that, and had made some lame excuse about a friend needing help.

And Go Seul remembered what Erubetie had called the two girls earlier: trash.

Jae Gu and her might not be friends, though she wouldn't mind if they did end up as such, but Jae Gu and her had exchanged kind words once already. That was enough for her. And it looked like her earlier suspicions about Jae Gu being bullied were right. This delinquent girl must have been picking on him!

In Go Seul's head she imagined the scene:

'No! Don't! I'll have my lunch money for you tomorrow!' a comically deformed imaginary Jae Gu cried piteously as a demonized Erubetie held him above her head ominously.

'No! Those who don't pay get a bath!' Evil-Erubetie declared, before tossing the poor Jae Gu into the ditch.

'Wawawawa! It's so dirty!' Helpless-Jae Gu cried, waving his arms about helplessly.

"Well get ready! I'm coming in to throw you again!" Evil-Erubetie cackled maniacally...

Something like that, Go Seul decided with a scowl. That fiendish girl! She pulled herself from her imaginary scene, focusing on the upcoming fight.

"Just a sec," Go Seul declared, pulling her glasses from her face. Her sister had always insisted that she keep them on; something about her not being able to hold back properly if she wasn't wearing them. Go Seul thought that was silly, like something out of a comic or something.

She was just able to focus better when she could only see her opponent as a blurry blob is all. It was like she wasn't fighting at all, like she was playing some sort of video game instead!

"Okay," Jae Gu opened her eyes, her entire face transformed without her glasses. "Let's see it through."

She couldn't see the way Erubetie drew back. Nor did she see her narrowed eyes, or the thin smile as it grew on the swim suited girl's face.

"Oh? You think that will be enough?" Erubetie murmured. The Queen of Slime could tell that something had changed in her opponent, but rather than be startled she just seemed amused. "Well then. Cry all you like once it's done: I love pure water, no matter how salty it is."

Go Seul brought her hand up. Wherever he was, she would protect Jae Gu from this bully!

*Scene Break*

Some distance away from the rings, in a more secure part of a facility, a member of the security staff perked, looking down at the screen showing the preliminary rings. The room as a whole was filled with monitors showing various points around the school. It might seem excessive, but from the security room every inch of Wilds High could be monitored if it needed to be.

It was a necessity, actually. Wilds High hosted a large populace of fighters, many of them professionals, and quite a few of them of some important social standing at that. With such a large populace of active combatants, it wasn't uncommon for students to let the testosterone get to them… er, the estrogen, the security officer corrected herself, reminding herself that most of the school was female, after all. It wasn't uncommon for students to want to show off or settle disputes through violence.

It was part of the reason the Wilds League was so important. By establishing it as the place to settle grudges, the administration had helped cut back on most of the potential fights that could break out in the school. It was the best method to channel their students' aggression into something meaningful.

The other method to cut back on fighting, well… The security officer gave a shiver. The school's guidance counselors were scary.

Because of the massive surveillance potential of the security room, it was fairly simple for the security officer to pull up the growing brawl in the preliminary room.

"Uh, Chief," she called, looking over her shoulder. "Could you take a look at this? There seems to be some unauthorized sparring going on…

"Are they girls from our school?" the chief called back, not even looking up from her coffee. "Check to see if they have privileges."

"Right," the officer nodded, pulling up the files. "Well, most of them aren't actually from out school," she noted as she went over the profiles. "But there are only two fights going on. One of them does have privileges, and the other is between a student and an outsider, so I guess everything is fine so far…"

"Let me see," the chief declared, leaning over to look at the matches. "The hell it's alright!" the chief quickly snapped, surprising the officer. "Here!" the chief quickly ran one hand over the keyboard, typing faster with just five fingers than the agent could with ten. Even as the agent watched in awe, several sets of gloves dropped on to the camera from the trick panel in the ceiling. "Oi, you brats," the chief said into the microphone, set as a loudspeaker to the preliminary ring. "Listen up! You're all in violation of the regulations! Get those gloves on if you're going to fight! If you're caught in violation three times you'll be banned from school facilities!"

"Oh!" the agent smacked herself on the forehead lightly. "Whoops!"

"There," the chief declared, feeling very much like the responsible adult her parents always claimed she'd never end up as. "Now everything is fine!"

*Scene Break*

Hye Shin was flushed, though whether it was from adrenaline, rage, or an ever growing embarrassment not even she could tell at this point.

This girl! This damnable girl! Just what was she trying to do!

It shouldn't be possible for someone like this to fight so well! This girl, this Alma Elma, she was just a slut! Every move she made seemed designed to give whoever she was fighting a peek at something, every attack was aimed to try and tease or humiliate! Kicks were aimed at clothes fasteners, and punches were more like gropes or touches! It was like she was more concerned about feeling up her opponent than she was about winning!

And the worst part was, for all the lack of malice in the blows, for all that the girl didn't even seem to be really fighting, nothing Hye Shin threw at her seemed to hit! Every punch was dodged, every kick was lightly blocked and deflected. This…

This was impossible for some delinquent street fighter!

"What kind of style is this?" Hye Shin growled, finally snapping as she just avoided the kick that would have destroyed the clip on her skirt.

"Oh?" Alma Elma giggled, before answering easily. "I do some Tai Chi. And Yoga. It's great to be so flexible!" As though to emphasize her words, the shameless girl threw herself backwards into a backbend, than whipped her legs up in a rising kick that flipped her back on to her feet. The move showed off everything, and Hye Shin had to fight to not look away from the shameful view.

She still flinched too long though, and she scowled, flush increasing as another button flew from her blouse. This girl… To move so well despite how she looked, despite how she dressed…

Was this girl actually a martial artist as well, despite being a delinquent? Hye Shin only knew a little about Tai Chi, but didn't it have something to do with the center of gravity and redirecting force or something? She knew it was more than just something old people did for their joints, that much she was sure of!

Hye Shin backed off, one hand hovering in front of her blouse as she tried to fight the urge to pull her shirt closed, not able to free the hand while she was still fighting this slippery girl. What an insidious style! The longer the fight went on, the more effort Hye Shin had to put in to keeping herself covered, the more she realized that if she had the chance this shameless fighter could and would strip her, destroying her clothes and leaving her exposed in front of the entire school!

Already, Hye Shin was starting to feel the growing pressure, a frantic surety that if she didn't end this quick, she would never live down the humiliation!

And, as though the very thought of the word 'humiliation' was enough to prompt more, a voice cut through the sparring, and Hye Shin scowled as she flushed harder.

Not her! Not now!

"Everyone hold it!" Lee Moon Young shouted as she walked blithely into the middle of the growing brawl, hands in her pockets as the very picture of nonchalance. The boxer pursed her lips, glancing around. "What kind of mess is this? What do you think you all are doing? The gloves are right over there, so hurry up and put them on!"

"Ah! Gloves?" Go Seul chirped, looking around wildly, squinting nearsightedly while she did so. "I thought I saw something fall from the ceiling. Those were gloves? So cool!"

"Hmph," Erubetie snorted. The two had barely begun their fight, Go Seul having been cautious enough to avoid her grasp. Erubetie began to reach for her opponent, not caring one bit about the interruption, but again a voice pulled her up short.

"Erubetie," Alice only had to say her name, and environmentalist stopped. Scowling, she strode past her opponent, not giving her a second look as she moved back to where the rest of her gang was standing.

"You've really made some troublesome rules, Alice," Granberia muttered with a sigh as yet again the Monster Lord interfered with a fight.

"Even if they are, they're still effective," Alice declared back coolly. "Do you doubt that much?"

"No, Ma'am," Granberia surrendered easily. Even if she didn't like Alice's rules, she had to admit they worked, and they worked well.

"And look at you," Moon Young continued blithely, ignoring the interplay between the Hellgondo students as the boxer marched up to a scowling Hye Shin. She started grinning even as she looked over the supposed rival to the queen. "I was watching on the way down, but still, this is too much! You planning on filming your own movie soon?"

"Lee Moon Young," Hye Shin scowled, and now she was certain that the flush was anger as the lapdog to the Queen showed up. She felt ridiculous, standing there with her shirt open wide enough to show off most of her bra. At some point Alma had even managed to shred through her tie, and now her shirt was gaping like she was some ditz looking to pick up a man. She struggled to ignore the shame, focusing on Moon Young instead.

"This has nothing to do with you! Don't get involved," she snapped, and Moon Young chuckled.

"Nothing to do with me? You're at my school, and ignoring the rules of sparring. Don't you feel ridiculous, what with your outfit besides?" Moon Young shook her head with a grin as she walked closer. "And you," she turned to give Alma Elma a dry look. "Do you have any shame at all?"

"Nope!" Alma sang out, twirling in place. She didn't seem inclined to take advantage of the lull in the battle, content to just smile, her tongue darting out to trace her lips. "Shame is so boring!"

"Shut up!" Hye Shin snapped, not sure who she was yelling at. "I'm not done with you yet! And if you want to get involved…" she started to turn her anger at Moon Young, but froze when a hard fist tapped her gently, right on one of the lingering wounds left by her earlier match with the Queen.

"Kim Hye Shin," Moon Young declared softly in Hye Shin's ear. Hye Shin froze, remembering that for all the boxer's laid back nature she was still someone who ranked as an 'S' class fighter, and she had been so distracted that she hadn't even noticed as that fighter got behind her, within arm's distance. "Don't forget where you are. In the red ring, there's no problem even if we fight to the death here and now. The only reason why I'm letting you leave in one piece is because you're still injured from the Queen. Come back once you're healed."

Hye Shin gritted her teeth, but managed to hold her tongue. This entire excursion had turned into a giant mess. She hadn't managed to find Song Jae Gu at all, she had been humiliated by that slut, and now some arrogant girl was dismissing her out of hand! Maybe if she had been fully healed, she'd have been able to show that Moon Young her place, but with her lingering wounds, and the exertion that she had used against Alma, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to wipe that smirk off the boxer's face.

She'd just have to hold her tongue for now. She'd get her chance, soon enough.

Moon Young walked past, nodding as Hye Shin stayed silent. As hot headed as the kick boxer was, Moon Young knew she had enough sense to wait until she was at full strength before starting anything else. Instead, the boxer turned to Go Seul, who had fumbled out her glasses, staring around the ring with awe.

"Hey, you," Moon Young called to the girl who looked like she was in awe of having had a chance to fight in the preliminary rings of the Wilds League. "Four eyed first year. That's right, dragonfly girl." Go Seul held a finger up to point at herself as though confused, at the nickname Moon Young just gave her. "I'll take care of this, so you can go now."

"Ah," Go Seul blushed. Her Sunbae had given her a nickname! So cool! "Okay!"

"So," Moon Young nodded, glad she had disarmed the situation for the most part. With two of the sources of potential violence willing to back off for now that just left… "So," she turned to the Hellgondo students. "Welcome to the Wilds. I'd tell you to make yourselves at home, but it looks like you already did."

She meant it to be a joke, a way to break the ice with these five girls who had shown up from nowhere. Moon Young wasn't really certain it had come off that way though. She was better at making death threats, not setting people at ease, darn it!

"Thank you," Alice told her in a flat tone. "We'll make sure to take advantage of your hospitality." Moon Young hesitated, an eyebrow shooting up. Wait. Was that sarcasm, or was she being serious?

"So," she went on, arms folded and fingers drumming on her forearm. "How can I help you?" she tried offering cautiously.

She had heard of Hellgondo ladder system before, and much like Hye Shin she didn't think much of them. Just how strong could someone who never went to the gym and spent all their time smoking and laying around in dirty abandoned buildings? Wild's had never had much of a problem with delinquents, so most of what Moon Young knew about them came from movies and rumors, but she thought she had a pretty good handle on it.

"You can help us by bringing Luka out, than going to fetch us the Queen of the Wilds," Alice told her,

"So you do know Song Jae Gu," Moon Young pursed her lips giving the five once over. They certainly were a shady looking bunch. Just how did someone like Jae Gu end up meeting a bunch of punks like this? And that second condition: it was In Gyi's title, but it felt a bit off for some reason. "And why do you want Queen anyway?"

"I want the Queen so that I can destroy her completely," Alice declared in a disinterested tone, inspecting a finger nail. "And I know Luka because he's my boyfriend, no matter how pathetic he might be."

*Scene Break*

Choi Dal Dal's mother watched feeling a bit helpless as her daughter flopped on the kitchen table with a sigh, idly flicking at her i-phone. Ms. Choi had been a bit concerned when her daughter had gotten home so late last night, and even more concerned when she had seen the black marker writing all over her face, but Dal Dal had explained both easily enough.

Ms. Choi could deal with the marker, seeing as it wasn't her daughter being bullied and was just a penalty from playing with a few children. Ms. Choi was considerably less okay with her daughter being with a boy, and in his house at that, so late at night, but considering the circumstances she felt she could let it slide this once.

"Now, now," she tried to console her daughter. "Everything will be alright."

"But mom," Dal Dal whined, kicking her feet idly as she did so. "How is it going to be alright? Jae Gu already has a girlfriend! How am I supposed to get him for myself now?"

"Dal Dal," her mother began, trying to be gentle. "There will be other boys," she continued. "And at least you learned an important lesson, right? For now, wouldn't it be better to prepare yourself for the next time you find a boy you like?"

Dal Dal scowled, but she didn't dismiss her mother right away. After all, she had been right before, about checking to see if Jae Gu was seeing someone. Maybe, and Dal Dal was only willing to go as far as a 'maybe', her mother actually knew something? She was married, after all…

"Like what?" Dal Dal finally muttered, giving her mom a sideways look. Ms. Choi let loose a relieved breath.

Her daughter was listening! Maybe now she could get her to practice some more feminine arts, instead of all that beastly fighting!

"Well, perhaps cooking? They say the best way to a man's heart is through their stomach," she tried to tempt her daughter with her own profession. Ms. Choi was a professional chef, after all. She had her own cooking show, and had been interviewed by several talk shows as well. Dal Dal had always had some talent for cooking, though it had been like pulling teeth getting her daughter to spend even one hour in the kitchen.

"Through their stomach," Dal Dal wondered, finding she liked the idea slightly. Maybe her mom was on to something…

Her eyes drifted back to the phone, watching the fights which had started in the preliminary rings. They were on constant feed, and whenever someone was using one there was always someone who twittered about it. Dal Dal frowned slightly at the sight of that piggy, Moon Young, but that was just a general dislike. Just what uniform were those others wearing?

"And once you find another boy you like, you'll be able to charm them more easily," Ms. Choi felt like she was finally making some actual progress with her daughter, and crossed her fingers behind her back.

"I don't want another boy!" Dal Dal whined, "I want Song Jae Gu!" Dal Dal was not a quitter, and she did not just forget about the things she liked: she charged forward full speed ahead, no matter the consequences.

Wait. She felt like she was coming to some kind of epiphany…

"That's how you feel now," her mother continued. "But first love doesn't usually work out. So often it fades away, and people move on…"

"That's it!" Dal Dal crowed, the whole thing snapping into focus in her mind, and she grinned exuberantly, throwing her hand up in the air in victory. "First love doesn't last!"

"Well, yes," her mother didn't think this was the response she should be happy about. "So you should be ready to move on, and find a new…"

"So eventually Jae Gu will break up with his girlfriend, and then he'll be mine!" It was genius! Her mother must be so proud to have a daughter as brilliant as her! "And if I learn how to cook, I can show how great a girlfriend I would be, and help speed the process up!"

"That's not what I meant at all," her mother was suddenly very worried about what her daughter was planning.

"Thanks mom," Dal Dal beamed up at her. It turns out she was right! She should listen to her mother for advice more often! Grinning, she looked back at the fight, eyes flicking over to the comment section as she tried to get some background…

And froze.

"The enemy!" she hissed, glaring at the screen as one of the watchers posted that one of the strange school's girls being the man stealer who had preemptively taken her Jae Gu. "Mom, I'm going out!" she shouted, racing to the door.

"But you're in your pajamas!" Ms. Choi shouted, only to be answered by the slamming of a door. "Where did I go wrong when raising her?" she moaned as her foolish daughter departed.

*Scene Break*

In Gyi was a bit tired that morning. She had had a very late night after all.

After she and Jae Gu had spoken, she had returned home rather late. But even if she should have gone to bed, even if she was a bit tired, she had found that she couldn't sleep.

So she had gone to the company of her gym hoping that the heartbeat of the place she brought to life by striking the bags would help her calm down.

'Monster'. The first time she had been in the gym that word had haunted her while she worked out, like a curse. The second time it still haunted her, but now it had set her heart a flutter.

She had never thought of herself the way that Jae Gu apparently did. She had heard people talking behind her back. It was the usual kind of thing, people speaking about the things they were jealous of scornfully: her looks, her fighting ability, her money, those and a dozen other things that she had and they didn't. She was used to it, had learned to just ignore and brush off the mutterings without a second thought. Even that was eventually mocked, people calling her cold, or aloof, or arrogant.

All this time she had endured it. It was just the price that she had to pay for all the advantages she had in life, she had thought.

But Jae Gu, he saw all of it too, had seen her at her cruelest at that, and rather than scorn her for it he had admired her! He had praised her!

'I want to be praised more,' she admitted to herself. She worked hard, and succeeded grandly at nearly everything she tried. But at home, her family just expected it of her as a potential future heiress and then told her to work even harder. At school they would complement her from one side of their mouths and then mock her from the other. Even Moon Young, her best friend, had her own form of envy in her rivalry with her.

Jae Gu was probably the first person who had honestly praised her, without expecting anything back or wanting anything from her. Even her worst, he thought of as praiseworthy.

So when the strange girls had shown up, claiming they knew him she had wanted to rush down there immediately to see what they wanted with him. She hadn't been able to though. She had an image to maintain. Moon Young was a good friend to go in her place.

But now one of them had admitted to being the mysterious girlfriend. More than that, she had claimed to have come with the intent to destroy her.

In Gyi found herself glaring at the girl with the snake skin boots. Who did this girl think she was?

Queen stood up, and the class around her that had been whispering and giggling to each other as they followed the fight on their phones went quiet. When she quietly left the room, shutting the door behind her rather firmly, the whispers started up even louder.

In Gyi ignored them. She was going to confront that girl who dared to have Jae Gu, er, who dared to challenge her, she meant!

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu was torn. On one hand, he was definitely behind schedule. He probably only had a three or four minutes before the bell rang for homeroom. It wasn't enough time, considering his best time from here to Wilds was five or six minutes. By all rights he should be sprinting to class, paying only the most passing of attention to things like traffic laws, walls or other immovable objects, and in some cases pedestrians as well.

However…

"Three sandwiches?" he muttered, his stomach growling as he saw the bounty, a REAL bounty this time, that the kind middle aged woman running the store was offering to him. "And you just need these bottles moved out to the alley?"

"I know you're in a rush," the nice store owner admitted, sounding guilty. "But if I don't get these out then they'll miss the recycling pick up. If that happens I'll have to hold on to them for a week. Maybe if I added two more sandwiches…"

Honestly, only one of those sandwiches had really been expired. And she could have moved those few cases out herself. However, she wanted to give the poor young man in front of him something. He worked so hard, and he deserved to get a break every once in a while. She was just worried that if she tried to give it to him directly he might turn it away. Young men and their pride, it could be so prickly sometime. Better to give him a small chore and then pass of all the extra she was trying to give him as a payment then risk him turning down her pity.

Jae Gu swallowed. Those sandwiches… if he rationed them carefully… nearly a week of actual lunches…

"I'll do it as fast as I can, ma'am!" he declared, already rushing over to the crates of jars that needed to be put to the curb. The store owner smiled, and added another sandwich she could pass off as a response to his quick work.

'It's not like I'm missing anything important," Jae Gu reassured himself as he hefted the crates. 'It's just homeroom, after all.'

*Scene Break*

Moon Young was honestly at a loss of how to react, to either of Alice's statements at that. This was Jae Gu's girlfriend? The boxer had to admit, Alice was good looking: her hair was exotic, and she was a beauty equal to just about anyone in the school, maybe even the Queen.

Though she wasn't quite sure what to make of those boots. They certainly were eye catching, that much was for sure.

"Well, some one's rather full of themselves," the boxer finally settled on, deciding to focus on the challenge to the Queen. "Someone like you taking on the Queen? Are you sure you shouldn't be out there picking a fight in some alley or something? That might be more your level."

Alice didn't even seem to note the insult, just continuing to tap her foot and inspect her nail as though she was already bored. Granberia on the other hand spoke up.

"Big talk from some spoiled little brat," she snorted. "Someone who's never even been in a fight should go sit quietly in a corner."

Moon Young's eyes narrowed, and she bent over to pick up the gloves that had dropped earlier. "Never been in a fight, oh?" She was Lee Moon Young, a nationally ranked boxer, a rival to the Queen, and an 'S' class fighter. "It's laughable, to see some punk talk so big when they got no idea who they're speaking to. Why don't you pick up a pair of gloves, and you can see what a 'spoiled little brat' can do?"

"Gloves," Granberia scowled, actually spitting to the side. "If you want to put on padding before you punch something, why not just go have a pillow fight with all your other friends? If you want a real fight though…"

Granberia began to heft her pipe, eyes gleaming as she prepared to show this little girl what it really meant to fight, but she froze when she felt eyes staring at her. With a scowl, she looked at Alice to see her eyes narrowed.

"Again, Granberia," Alice stated, tone cold. Granberia scowled, before throwing her pipe to the ground. Despite the padding, one of the tiles cracked from the force of the impact. Moon Young watched cautiously, but the biker girl made no other violent move. Instead, despite her earlier scorn the biker stalked over to where the second set of gloves were.

"Oh?" the boxer taunted as Granberia picked up the professional safety gear. "Backing down so easily? You're pretty tame after all!"

"Count yourself lucky that the Monster Lord is generous," Granberia just snorted back, eying the gloves distastefully. Moon Young paused, not sure who or what this 'Monster Lord' was. She gave Alice a quick look. Was that who her soon to be opponent was talking about? She didn't look like much, but this more dangerous looking girl backed down pretty quickly…

Moon Young shook off her curiosity and was turning back to her soon to be opponent when a slamming noise caught her attention. Only willing to take one eye off the other girl, she managed to catch sight of the door to the arena slamming open, a few silhouettes appearing.

"Invincible Goo Ra!" When even her opponent turned to glare at the noise, Moon Young relaxed enough to turn her head and get a better look. "Sunbae, we got the call! We're here!"

"Heh," Moon Young caught sight of Hye Shin as she smirked. "Geez," the kick boxer sounded amused. "Now I'm embarrassed." Hye Shin didn't look embarrassed, but rather pleased, the boxer thought to herself. "What now, Moon Young? My underclassmen are a little hyperactive. Once they're riled up they just don't sit still. You did know, didn't you? That you guys might have just started this year, but Goo Ra has always been coed!"

Moon Young scowled as the situation got even more complicated. On one hand she had the Hellgondo delinquents, one of which she was already in the middle of throwing down with, and on the other hand Hye Shin had just called in reinforcements of her own, a group of somewhat shady looking guys in their own right. More than that, Goo Ra wasn't some delinquent school like Hellgondo, they had a solid focus on martial arts themselves. She'd had some good fights in tournaments with students of that school in the past.

Was she really up to facing down both these groups herself?

Oh, who was she kidding, she thought to herself as she felt a grin starting to form.

"You sure carry a lot of dead weight around," Moon Young began unzipping the top of her track uniform. "But are you sure you shouldn't be in school with these girls?" she jerked her head at the Hellgondo students, who looked curious at best at this new group. "Dragging around a gang of your own? Aren't you embarrassed?" She tossed aside her tracksuit, and she realized her grin was getting a bit manic but she just didn't care. "Coed? Delinquents? I'm the Boxing Club president Lee Moon Young. Whether a 'he' or a 'she', a pro or some street fighter, come at me if you got the guts!"

For a moment, silence greeted her pronouncement, but than from her side she heard a low chuckle. Turning to glare challengingly, she found Granberia studying her with actual interest.

"Oh?" the biker declared, a small smile starting to form. "Maybe there was someone interesting here."

Moon Young decided then and there not to underestimate the Hellgondo student. That smile wasn't the kind of thing you'd find on someone who backed down from a fight. She turned slightly, holding her hand up to the security cameras with her pinky and thumb tucked and the rest of the fingers straight; it was the symbol that an 'S' class fighter used to let the security watching the school know that they were using their status to allow a fight with any rules.

Moon Young grinned a cocky grin, and turned to tell her soon to be opponent that if she really wanted to use that lead pipe it was fine by her; it wouldn't be the first time someone thought that having a weapon would work against her.

However, as she opened her mouth to taunt her delinquent foe she ended up freezing, eyes bulging as she took in the change on her opponent. Graneria had unzipped the top of her biker suit and rolled it down to tie it off at her waist, probably to avoid overheating while fighting in it. It had the side effect of revealing her upper torso, and the obvious-to-the-naked-eye muscles that stood out like steel cables moved under her skin as she clumsily tugged on the gloves.

'How much does this girl work out?' Moon Young screamed in her head, unable to tell if she was horrified or awed at Granberia's physique. 'You could grate cheese on those abs!'

Moon Young had used to be a lot thicker herself, muscles that she had awkwardly shed over the course of a year partly in an effort to speed herself up in a fight and partly because, well, she was a girl and when the numbers on the scale started to get that high her pride as a maiden demands something be done.

Granberia didn't seem to have the same compunctions. She must weigh seventy kilograms at the least, Moon Young realized.

And then she had to snap out of her reverie as a haymaker with about as much force as a speeding sixteen-wheeler came at her head. Her guard came up by instinct, and she kept the blow from slamming into her head, but her footing was bad and she had to skip to keep from being sent tumbling.

'Okay,' she told herself, 'so she might be a bit stronger than I thought. But someone that strong couldn't be too fast. All I have to do is… oh god she is that fast!' Moon Young had to adjust her thinking quickly as her opponent sent an ugly and inefficient jab at her face fast enough to make her glad she already had a guard up.

"Oh?" Granberia seemed pleased. "Most don't last this long. Maybe there is something to your boasting, cocky girl."

"That's my line!" Moon Young growled back, taking the offensive. Her jabs were quick, a result of her speed training, and Granberia's guard was clumsy. Despite that, the blows that slipped through to tag her side or shoulders felt like to Moon Young like she was in the gym hitting a punching bag; only the punching bag had its sand replaced with cement.

It was only when one of her punches managed to make directly through Granberia's guard to slam the delinquent in the face with enough force to put down a normal fighter, just to be given a toothy grin in return as the delinquent brushed it off without paying it any attention, it was only then that Moon Young began to consider that maybe, just maybe, she had gotten in over her head with this one.

*Scene Break*

Li Mi Nam was an accomplished boxer. He had won the national upcoming boxing championship last year, and was dedicated to growing in his chosen field.

However, if you were to ask anyone about Mi Nam, that wouldn't be the first thing they told you. Nor would it be that the young man never went anywhere without his beanie, no matter how hot the weather was.

No, the first thing anyone who knew Mi Nam would tell you if you asked about him, was that he was one hundred percent nice guy.

He did his classwork and homework on time, and was always willing to let a classmate look at either if they needed a hand. He helped out with other things too, heavy lifting, extra duties, even the janitorial or grounds keeping staff knew they could impose on Mi Nam if they needed it. Even in his club, he was always willing to work mitts, or give a bit of advice on leg work or form.

It was because Mi Nam was a nice guy, that when his not so nice friend Baek Du Jang started to get upset, he gave talking down the other boy a serious effort.

"What is this?" Du Jang, who had made it to third place in the provincial wrestling tournament last year, grumbled. "First that girl starts talking all big, and then she goes and ignores us!"

"That bitch," Hye Shin growled, and Mi Nam had to suppress a sigh. That and a bit of a blush; he wasn't sure what had happened to his Sunbae, but whatever it was had cost her enough buttons to make her shirt something dangerous to look at.

"Just relax, Du Jang," Mi Nam tried to calm his bigger friend down. Du Jang was bigger than him by nearly half a head, and weighted nearly half again how much the boxer did. It was a body made for wrestling, and Du Jang wasn't scared to use it when he needed to. "You can wait until they're finished before you take your turn."

Even as he spoke, Mi Nam was shrugging out of his blue hoodie. Once it was off he held it out to Hye Shin. The kickboxer gave it a confused look, before looking at his face to see what he was trying to do, only to realize that he was steadfastly looking away from her. It wasn't until Hye Shin looked down at herself to see why he was avoiding looking at her that she remembered how much of her was being displayed.

"Thanks," she muttered, sounding like she couldn't decide if she was angry or embarrassed. Mi Nam waited until she had it fully on before he gave her a nod.

Even Hye Shin had to admit to the truth: one hundred percent nice guy.

"Well I don't wanna wait," Du Jang declared. He glared at the other interlopers, taking in the Hellgondo students with a disdainful look. "There's only so much a man can take!"

"Just let it rest," Mi Nam told him, and was ignored as his larger friend stalked forward, until he was close enough to glare at his targets. Despite the enormous boy towering over them, no one from Hellgondo seemed the least bit concerned. Alma Elma even gave him a friendly smile, licking her lips slowly as she did so.

"No!" Du Jang declared, glaring at Mi Nam as he reached out to poke Erubetie. "Look at them! Prancing around in swim suits and stuff! Shameless girls like this…"

Whatever Du Jang was going to say it was interrupted as one finger made contact with Erubetie's shoulder. In a move so fast it mad Mi Nam's eyes shoot open, her hand snapped up, grabbing the finger tightly.

Than with about as much care as he would give to swatting a fly, she twisted her wrist, and the finger made an audible popping noise as it left its socket, bending upwards at an unnatural angle.

Du Jang's eyes bulged, but he didn't have time to make a noise as her other hand slapped out, grabbed his elbow, and twisted it out of place too. And then, she let go of the finger to reach for his shoulder, and another gut clenching 'pop' announced that it was going to need to be reset too.

"Huh?" Du Jang could only stare with wide eyes, the attacks so unexpected and quick that for a moment he didn't even feel pain from them. Only a moment though. "Gugh!"

"Du Jang!" Mi Nam shouted, racing to get the girl off his friend, but Erubetie had already released the boy, staring down contemptuously as he fell to his knees with a pitiful shout. "What the hell did you do!"

"He assaulted me," Erubetie declared in a monotone. "I naturally reacted to defend myself."

"Bullshit!" Mi Nam declared, glaring at her only to have his gaze met evenly.

"Please," she droned. "Won't you assault me too?" Mi Nam realized that she was just looking for an excuse to do the same to him, but despite knowing it was a provocation he wasn't going to just sit here and let some delinquent tart hurt his friend!

"Why you," he began, clenching his hands into fists and completely forgetting about the gloves, the rings, and any other rules he normally cared for as he started to sink into a fighting stance.

He was reminded of the gloves quite suddenly when a pair of them lightly impacted his face.

"Now, now, young man," Tamamo chirped, bouncing lightly by Erubetie as she finished fastening her own pair on. "No reason to be upset. Your friend will be quite alright after he sees a doctor! Come now, why don't you calm down in the ring with me instead?"

"You," Mi Nam began, glaring at the tiny girl who was getting between him and the one that had hurt his friend. "Move. I don't want to hit a kid."

Tamamo paused, before beaming impishly up at Mi Nam. She started to reach for the front of her shirt where she kept her fan, but fumbled as the gloves interrupted her usual gesture, causing her to pout briefly. It only lasted a moment before she turned back to smiling at Mi Nam.

"You! You are a good guy, aren't you?" Mi Nam hesitated, not quite sure what to make of the tiny girl as she complimented him. "You would be a lot of fun to play around with in a ring!"

"Look," he began, the smiling middle school look alike throwing him off his anger as he tried to avoid fighting the small girl bouncing in place like an impatient child. "I don't know what you think is going on…"

Mi Nam had intended to just brush Tamamo aside, but before he could finish his dismissal she simply rolled her eyes good-naturedly before moving. He had a moment of shock at just how fast the girl could move, and then she struck, a blur that ended with pain blossoming in his thigh just above his knee. The force of the blow pushed his leg to the side, and he yelped as he started to tumble. He never finished his fall as two gloved hands latched onto one of his flailing hands, pulling him down and forward even as she drove her shoulders into his legs just above knee level.

For a moment Mi Nam could only watch as the world spun around him while he rolled across the floor. 'What just happened?' he demanded in his head, trying to figure out just how he had been so easily manhandled by a girl which barely cleared his waist height wise.

Then he came to a stop, and when he dizzily pushed himself onto his hands and knees he was again struck lightly in the face by the same pair of gloves that had been thrown at him earlier. Slowly, he focused on the girl who had just tossed him.

"Well," Tamamo declared, and this time she managed to get her fan out as she tapped her cheek with it, grinning impishly as she strolled forward. "Now that we're in the ring, we might as well make the best of it."

"You," Mi Nam trailed off, before pushing himself to his feet, already pulling one of the gloves on as he did so. She was right, in that the strange throw had indeed ended with him standing in the perimeter of the nearby ring. He settled them, interlacing his fingers to both push the fabric firm and crack his knuckles. "Interesting," he finally declared, eyes narrowing as he started focusing on the girl not just as some short intruder but as an actual potential combatant. "I wasn't really that interested in you delinquent girls earlier, but you look like you all might be pretty good despite that."

"Ah," Tamamo giggled again, tucking her fan into the front of her shirt. "You are a flatterer as well!" Her grin changed, growing toothy. "Maybe after this is done I should introduce you to the Yao…"

As he threw the first punch at the tiny girl, he couldn't help but wonder who this 'Yao' was, and why Tamamo's smile made him so uneasy.

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu felt a shiver go through him as he managed to make it over the wall. Finally, he had made it to school, nearly ten minutes late, but here at last. He wondered for a moment whether or not he should have made more effort to get here early, but, well, when he thought about the delays…

His siblings at school safely, and enough food to last him a week if he stretched it out.

Yeah, worth it.

Still, he couldn't help but grimace as he looked around spuriously. One of the requirements for his continued scholarship was attendance. If he kept being late like this he might end up losing it…

Well, he decided, if that happened he could always go out and get a real job. It might not be as high paying as what he could get if he finished high school, but so long as Jae Hyung and Jae Som were seen to, then that would be fine. Making a few extra bucks would only help in the long run for those two.

With those thoughts on mind, Jae Gu turned a corner, hoping to slink into his classroom unnoticed only to curse softly to himself as he came across a group of fellow first years, all of them chattering to each other as they did something to their phones. He tried to keep himself small and sneak past them, but just when he thought he was free, one of the girls looked up, catching sight of him.

"Ah! Luka!" the girl yelped, and Jae Gu froze.

How.

How the hell did they know that name!

"Er," he began, trying to escape before the name spread. "I'm sorry, you must have me confused for someone else. Now, I need to be getting to class…"

"No time for that!" the girl declared, eyes shining eagerly as she rushed to him. Jae Gu tried not to flinch as the strange girl grabbed his hand. It took a monumental effort not to react more strongly to a strange woman of all things touching him. "You have to get to the gym!"

"Eh?" Jae Gu wanted to protest, but in the end he let himself get dragged along. Was this another one of those school things? Had there been another announcement like before, and he was expected to show himself? He had only just got here, and if there was some sort of announcement than he had missed it.

Desperately hoping he wasn't about to get his scholarship revoked so quickly in the year, Jae Gu let himself get led.

Though the giggling and whispering of the students he passed didn't do much to alleviate his discomfort. Seriously. What was with all these girls?

And how did they know his nickname?

*Scene Break*

In Gyi was used to things happening when she entered a room. It was a side effect of who she was, be it the money, her looks, or her fame, that when people realized she was had arrived there was a reaction.

Still, she didn't expect much of one when she first entered the arena room. She had opened the door quietly to come across quite a scene. There were gaggles of Wilds' students that had drifted in to see the fights in person rather than on their phones, the group from Goo Ra, the small bunch from Hellgondo, and two matches going on, so there was plenty of things to distract people from when she showed up.

But despite all the spectacles, the moment she entered the room she found that Alice had already turned to face her. From across the arena, their eyes met.

In Gyi took in a sharp breath, barely noticeable, as she took in the other girl. Queen had already seen her over the cameras, true, but there was something different about her in person. It was an intensity, a confidence so profound it strayed easily into arrogance conveyed even while she was simply standing there tapping her foot.

No, more than that, it was the way she looked at In Gyi that set her on edge. It was a look that took her in, that saw all the things about her that others praised, and then it dismissed them all.

In Gyi realized that in Alice's eyes she might as well be a bug, because Alice had just as little regard for her as she did an insect.

In Gyi felt her eyes narrow. She realized that she did not like being looked at like that.

So it was time she did something about it.

In Gyi didn't bother to say anything as she walked towards Alice. Around her a flurry of whispers started up as her classmates realized that the Queen herself had arrived.

"Granberia, Tamamo," Alice simply called, not even bothering to look at the two.

"Ah," Tamamo grinned, pulling away from Mi Nam. The boxer seemed confused when his opponent simply dropped her guard and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, not sure why the fight was stopping, but not taking advantage of the openings being shown. It wasn't in his style to attack someone who wasn't interested in fighting. "We're not done yet."

"Now, now," Tamamo smiled at him, already pulling off her gloves. "There will be time enough for that later. For now, enjoy the spectacle!" Mi Nam seemed confused for a moment, but than even he caught sight of In Gyi as she closed the distance between herself and Alice.

"Queen even showed up?" Moon Young grunted, blocking another of those relentless power blows from her own opponent. Unlike Tamamo, Granberia didn't seem inclined to stop in the least. Alice's eyes narrowed, and she looked away from In Gyi long enough to glare at the redhead.

"Granberia," she snapped, her tone rising slightly. "That's three times I've had to rein you in. Is this how you show your loyalty?"

Moon Young wasn't sure what the other girl was talking about, but mid swing Granberia seemed to flinch, and then with a grimace she turned away mid fight.

"We're going to finish this later," the biker threw over her shoulder as she stripped off her own gloves before casually tossing them aside.

"Yeah, right," Moon Young muttered, trying to put on a strong front even as she sucked in air. She'd never fought someone so physically tough. Even though her form was awful, she had to admit that Granberia's sheer strength and endurance were top class.

But that could wait for now. For now, Moon Young, like the rest of the arena, was more interested in watching the confrontation between her friend and the girl claiming to be Jae Gu's girlfriend.

'Crap!' she thought to herself. 'I knew Jae Gu got to her, but to actually show up? What is she thinking?'

In Gyi barely paid any attention as the two fights came to abrupt conclusions. Instead, she focused on Alice as the other girl looked back to her. It didn't take long to close the distance, and when In Gyi finally stopped she did so close that no one could mistake the meeting as anything but confrontational. Silence stretched between the two.

"She came?" Hye Shin snapped, sounding furious. "For this trash?" It was inconceivable for the Queen to show up just because some delinquent was calling her out! There were professionals who had to schedule their matches months in advance, and even then the Queen would sometimes ignore them. Why the hell had she shown up now of all times!

Moon Young heard the kick boxer, and though internally she agreed she kept her mouth shut. She couldn't help but give nervous glances between In Gyi and Alice. Normally Queen was pretty predictable, but when it came to Jae Gu she tended to act strangely, even if it had only been three days since they met. There was no telling what In Gyi might do if she was provoked enough. More than that, Moon Young was also worried about what the Hellgondo students would do. They were delinquents, after all. There was no telling if they'd all try to gang up on Queen or not, and considering how tough the one she had fought turned out to be, even Queen might need a hand if it turned into five on one.

Carefully, Moon Young moved to stand near In Gyi, so she could jump in if she needed to.

"Finally," Alice declared, addressing In Gyi casually despite the situation. "It's rude to keep your guests waiting. See to it you arrive more quickly in the future."

"Guests?" In Gyi repeated, tone cold. "I wasn't aware of any guests; just some street trash that had blown in. It's the janitor's job to get rid of garbage like you."

If Alice was offended by her insult, she didn't show it. Instead, she just took a moment to let her gaze sweep up and down In Gyi. She paused for a moment halfway through, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Your hands," Alice declared, and it was In Gyi suppressed a blink at the sudden non sequitar. "They're the right size for the bruise. So you were the one who laid a hand on my Luka."

If In Gyi hadn't been keeping a careful hand on her reactions, she might have flinched at the memory of the slap she had given Jae Gu. Even though she showed no reaction, Alice nodded briefly, as though to herself.

"What a pathetic man, to let someone like you lay a hand on him," she declared, sighing briefly. "But no matter how pitiful he is, he is still my boyfriend. The only one allowed to do him harm is me."

"Oi, oi," Moon Young muttered, her eyes narrowing as the girl in front of her casually mocked Jae Gu even though he was absent. She didn't like the thought of someone casually belittling him, not after seeing how hard he worked or how well he had done despite his circumstances. And that last bit at the end, about hurting him…

Just what kind of relationship could someone like Jae Gu be in? These girls, Alice in particular, they didn't seem like the type to take no for an answer. Could it be… coercion?

In Gyi didn't bother to conceal the way her eyes narrowed, or the small sneer which was forming. Just like Moon Young, she hadn't like the way this girl had talked about Jae Gu.

"It seems that our Jae Gu has been put out upon by unsavory vermin," she murmured, contempt obvious. "Perhaps I should do my underclassman a favor with ridding him of them?"

"Oh?" Alice smiled, and In Gyi decided then and there that she didn't like this other girl. The way her lips thinned, she reminded In Gyi of a snake. "Is someone offended by the way I talk about my property? How worthless of him; my Luka seems to have attracted something foolish. How contemptible of him. I will have to put him in his place later tonight."

In Gyi grit her teeth, her glare sharpening. She wasn't sure if Alice was trying to provoke her or not, but if she was it was working.

And what did she mean by 'put him in his place later tonight'! Did that mean the two of them already… did they do weird thing when they…

Despite In Gyi's inner maiden starting to blush, the Queen of the Wilds League part of her was preparing for a fight.

"Well," she said. "I will have to watch. I would like to see how somebody in traction at a hospital can do something like that." She began to raise her hand to invoke the same right that Moon Young had used earlier so that the two of them could settle this in the ring.

However, she only made it halfway up before the door to the arena burst open, banging against the wall like a gunshot.

"Which one of you was the one who stole my Jae Gu!" Dal Dal shouted immediately after making her entrance. Everyone in the arena, even In Gyi and Alice paused as they took in the sight of the tiny girl, still wearing her pajamas and with the faded outline of a set of whiskers and a black eye from where she hadn't been able to get all the marker off her face.

If Dal Dal cared that she looked ridiculous, she certainly didn't show it. Instead, she turned to glare at the Hellgondo students, trying to figure out which was the man stealer. The twitter had only said that one of them had declared that they were the ones that had made off with her future man. It only took her a second to look them all over, before she figured out just who the hussy was!

"You!" she declared, pointing at her target as she marched forward. Among the Hellgondo students, Alma Elma hesitated, before lifting a finger to point at herself in confusion. "Yeah, you!" Dal Dal kept pointing. All it took was one look to determine who the man stealer was! Just look at that skirt, and the way she did up her shirt! She even had tattoos. Dal Dal could tell a home wrecker when she saw one! "You're the one who sank your claws in him! Well you better watch out! I will make Song Jae Gu mine!"

The entire arena went silent, and Dal Dal nodded happily. There! That would show the world she meant business!

It took a moment for Alma to really take in the absurd statement, but once she managed to work out what the other girl was saying, she began to giggle.

"Oh, aren't you just adorable," she declared, cooing at the short girl. "And what cute pajamas! Though I bet you'd look even cuter without them…"

"I didn't have time to change once I found out you were here, you hussy!" Dal Dal declared, misinterpreting just what Alma meant with her statement. If anything, this just seemed to egg her on.

"Well," Alma Elma leant forward, and Dal Dal huffed at the way it showed off her rival's body. No wonder Jae Gu had fallen sway to this witch's spell! It would take all her effort to pull this leech off her man! "I tell you what: if you really want Jae Gu, I could be persuaded to share. After all, working together, I'm sure the two of us could convince him to have some fun. And then afterwards, I could show you other things as well…"

"'Working together…?'" Dal Dal certainly did not expect such an invitation from her nemesis, and she blinked in confusion. "'Show me other things…?'" She cocked her head to the side as she tried to figure out what was going on, and Alma couldn't resist the chance to inch closer, one hand coming up to trace Dal Dal's cheek suggestively. The tae kwon doist blinked at the movement, before she flushed brightly as she realized what Alma was suggesting. She backed away quickly, eyes going wide. "Are you hitting on me too?"

"Mmmhmmm," Alma nodded as she admitted it.

"What the hell!" Dal Dal shrieked, backing away even more as her blush grew. "You're not satisfied with just Jae Gu? What kind of girlfriend are you!"

"She's not the girlfriend," Moon Young sighed, palming her forehead at her classmate's antics before pointing towards Alice. "That one's the girlfriend. Geeze, pinky, try to read the mood!"

"B-but," Dal Dal sputtered, still unnerved over the fact that she had been hit on by another woman. To the side, Alice sighed in frustration and In Gyi closed her eyes in embarrassment over her classmates' foolishness.

"It's troubling having such shameful subordinates," Alice muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. Despite the fact that Dal Dal wasn't technically her subordinate In Gyi couldn't help but agree with the other girl. Alice turned back to In Gyi, ignoring as Erubetie once more slapped Alma Elma across the back of her head . "Now. If there are no other interruptions…" she began, only to scowl as the door to the arena slammed open once again.

"Why are you pulling me so hard," Jae Gu protested as he was tugged along by one of his classmates. "Just what's going…" he trailed off as he took in the crowded room. "Sunbae?" he asked, catching sight of In Gyi, Moon Young, and Dal Dal, "what are all of you… Alice!" he yelped as his eyes made it to where his girlfriend was standing. "What are you doing here? And the rest of you as well!" A genuine smile started to form as he caught sight of all his companions before that smile faded and was replaced by a worried look. "Wait, what ARE you all doing here?"

It was a sign about how much better he was at reading moods than Dal Dal that he instantly started to get a gnawing sensation in his gut. Somehow, he didn't think the scene in front of him would lead to anything good.

*Scene Break*

President Lee was feeling rather satisfied with himself at the moment. There had been a reason he had made Wilds coed after all. He had grown tired of seeing so many of his students denied the chance to truly enjoy their youth. While the school had received rewards and acknowledgment from many institutions for the strength of its students, Charles had always secretly despaired at the cost such rewards came at for his students.

They were teenage girls, after all, so why were they being raised like special ops soldiers! They deserved the chance to enjoy the springtime of their youth, to act like the innocent young maidens they all were!

It was why he had worked so hard to make the school coed. Admittedly, there had been some issues getting that dream to become a reality. It was always hard for a school changing to coed to get the word out for the initial change, and Wilds certainly had a reputation which kept many other would be male students from applying.

In the end, he had had to actually personally invite some students, and only one had even accepted. And only after having a full scholarship offered him at that!

Still, it was moments like this that made him sure he had made the right choice. Sure, it was a little extreme, but right here and now, his girls were learning important lessons; things like how to deal with loss, the interaction between a boy they knew and his other friends, what it meant for matters of the heart to be dealt with. Even things like jealousy and attraction were on display.

But even if President Lee was satisfied with how things were going, he had to admit that the events going on in the arena were getting out of hand. Wilds High was a school oriented towards competitive fighting of all styles, and it was natural that girls inexperienced with matters of the heart would turn to something they were more used to in order to solve their problems.

That wasn't the kind of thing Lee wanted them to fall back on in situations like this.

It was with that in mind that Lee decided to give the order to have the Wilds' Guard deployed.

In a school like Wilds High, where just about every student had world class fighting abilities, it was important that there be someone with the abilities to stop any fights before they got out of hand. At a normal school, that would have been the duty of the teachers, but even the teachers on occasion weren't enough to stop a match. In order to compensate for that a special force had been assembled.

Nominally bearing the title of 'Counselor' the Wilds' Guard were some of the best and most brilliant fighters around. Each one of them were handpicked from only the strongest of 'S' class fighters, mostly alumni from the school itself. It was ridiculous to think that fighters of that caliber would only be used for stopping school yard brawls though, and the Wilds' Guard, the WG as they were called, were often hired as body guards to VIPs, training instructors for military or guard units, and often used as referees for various tournaments worldwide.

Charles made the call down to the security office, confident that with this, the day's drama would be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

*Scene Break*

"Seriously," Jae Gu protested, trying to understand the confusing scene he had been pulled to. "What's going on?"

There were his Sunbae, all gathered together in one place, and right in front of them were his girlfriend and friends, and judging from the way Alice and In Gyi were glaring at each other something must have happened.

Jae Gu knew Alice well enough to make a guess, and he didn't think it would turn out good for anyone involved if his guess was right.

Add on to that, there was also dozens of Wilds' students all whispering at each other and alternating looks between their cell phones and him in a way which made him wish he had a phone himself if only so he could figure out just what they were using them for. And if that wasn't enough, there was a group of people who, from their uniform, looked to be from an entirely different school as well!

He didn't think there was anyone in the world that could stumble into a situation like this and be able to figure it out just through intuition!

And then, as though in order to make things even more confusing, suddenly from apparently nowhere a bunch of women dressed in weird black dresses with boots that looked like something Alma would wear appeared, one of them moving to stand in front of the group from the strange school and the other squeezing herself between In Gyi and Alice.

"Who are you people?" Hye Shin demanded, frustration obvious in her tone. Why was one thing after another coming up! "When did you all get here?"

"Hey!" Dal Dal yelped, and by her Moon Young gasped softly.

"Wilds' Guard," she declared in awe. Jae Gu noticed that the rest of the students seemed equally affected, the whispering increasing in volume.

He also noticed that he was currently in the middle of his classmates, a large group of strange women, and with a swallow he started to make his way towards his Sunbae and his friends.

They were girls too, yeah, but he was familiar with them. If worse came to worst he could rely on Alice and the others to give him a hand.

"Everyone," a third member of the WG showed up, this one walking sedately rather than rushing to get between the various groups. "Stop sparring immediately. The school has rendered this an inappropriate situation, so we shall end this here."

The woman spoke in a cold tone, one with complete certainty that her words would be listened to. It was enough to make Jae Gu shiver, and it had an instantaneous effect on the rest of the crowd. Even Alice seemed to take note of her, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the newcomer.

"Ms. Lee Moon Young," she continued, and the boxer straightened quickly feeling nerves come down over her. Moon Young recognized the speaker: that was her Sunbae, Lee Na! She had been Moon Young's idol when she had first started at the Wilds, a fighter who had a flawless record in the Wilds League, and nearly all those fights KO's as well. "Take your friends off the stage."

"Yes, Ma'am!" the boxer yelped, already reaching over to grab Dal Dal before the pinky did something stupid. Dal Dal squirmed at the contact, but let herself get led away. Jae Gu thought it was unlike her to be so docile, but when Dal Dal gave a quick look at Alma only to be greeted with a blown kiss that was greeted with a shudder, he had to suppress a sigh. "Come on, Queen, Jae Gu," Moon Young didn't seem to notice the shorter girl's dilemma, and instead gave a nervous look at In Gyi. Moon Young wasn't certain that she'd back down, even if the WG were here. "Let's go."

In Gyi seemed to hesitate at her friend's earnest request. Her view might have been blocked by the woman in front of her, but she knew Alice was still there. Finally, she turned, willing to put off the fight for now.

But only for now. She didn't think for one second that it was over between her and that abominable snake woman.

Moon Young sighed in relief, and was turning to help usher Jae Gu away too, when a cool voice interrupted her.

"You," Alice declared, and when Moon Young looked back it was to see the girl glaring at Jae Gu in a way which set her on edge. "You're only just arriving, despite how much you boasted of the school being so close? How contemptible being this late. Shameful."

In Gyi, who had turned and was preparing to leave stopped. Slowly, she turned back to glare at Alice, no longer concealed by the WG in her new position. She wasn't alone, as Dal Dal also tensed, and Moon Young as well despite her respect for her Sunbae, Lee Na.

"The bus driver was late, again," Jae Gu admitted defensively as he rubbed the back of his head. "And then the old woman at the store needed a hand…"

"Making excuses?" Alice cut him off, shaking her head. "Pitiful. Is there no end to your embarrassment?"

"Oi," Moon Young growled, feeling her temper rise at the callous way the other girl treated Jae Gu started to piss her off. "Don't you think it's time you shut up?"

Every time Alice spoke, Moon Young started to get more and more sure of her earlier conclusion. That was no way to treat a boyfriend, or even a friend at all! That sounded more like someone bullying someone that couldn't defend themselves! And the way Jae Gu didn't seem surprised at the words meant that she must act like this all the time!

"What a foul mouth," In Gyi murmured. It wasn't like her to be this angry, she knew that, but she found herself having to force herself to keep from gritting her teeth. She had reached the same conclusion that Moon Young had, and a part of her was feeling overwhelmingly protective of the boy who had praised her so honestly. The thought of this snake woman having her venomous fangs in him… "Perhaps when the doctors have had to wire it back together you'll learn a few manners."

"Yeah!" Dal Dal declared, pointing her finger again, this time at the right target. "Don't be so mean to my gentle Jae Gu! If you think I'll let you bully him, then you have another thing coming!"

Dal Dal hadn't been there to hear how Alice talked about Jae Gu before, but no matter what the circumstances she wouldn't let anyone talk like that to her future boyfriend!

"Gentle?" Granberia snorted, sounding amused as she pulled her biker suite back up, zipping it casually closed in the front. Alma Elma giggled too, though she seemed more focused on Dal Dal than on the boy that was the center of the confrontation. Erubetie didn't give any reaction at all. Ever since In Gyi had arrived she had been more focused on glaring at her than looking at anyone else in the gym. Tamamo seemed bemused, though she was pursing her lips as she tapped her cheek with her fan.

It was Alice on the other hand that had the strangest reaction. She had narrowed her eyes, looking confused about something as she looked back and forth between the three girls confronting her.

Then, quite suddenly, Tamamo began to laugh uproariously. It was such an unexpected sound that both Wilds' and Hellgondo's students alike turned to give her a confused look.

"Oh!" Tamamo managed to get out between her guffaws. She had both hands up to cover her mouth, but it did little to muffle the noise. "Oh, this is amazing! Alice, they don't know!"

"Don't know what?" Moon Young demanded, flushing as the girl apparently laughed at her expense. Dal Dal huffed and folded her arms, and even In Gyi was a little put off by the sudden change in atmosphere.

"They don't know…" Granberia began, giving the much smaller girl a narrowed look, until her eyes shot open and she cut herself off mid-sentence. She started to scowl, but then she seemed to think twice about it, and a smile of her own started to grow.

"Oh, this is priceless!" Alma Elma got whatever joke that was spreading through the Hellgondo students.

In Gyi was starting to get over her confusion, the emotion leaking back into her previous anger, but she was interrupted as Alice suddenly straightened, locking eyes with her once more. She studied the Queen, and In Gyi stiffened at the look. What on earth was going on?

She tensed even more when suddenly Alice began to smile that snake grin of hers once more. There was something about the expression that made In Gyi feel like she had just missed something important, something which would be trouble for her later.

Whatever it was that Alice saw, In Gyi wasn't able to think more on it as a new voice interrupted the moment.

"Enough is enough already!" Hye Shin shouted, hands clenched into fists at her side. She'd had enough of this endless frustration, of this constant bullshit! She had come here to try and see what made Song Jae Gu special enough to be able to challenge the Queen, and so far she'd had nothing but interruption after interruption. And now, finally, after all the embarrassment and delays here he was! He looked pathetic, all hunched up and slouching! His own girlfriend talked down to him and humiliated him, and he didn't even get angry or try to defend himself!

'What a waste of time,' she thought to herself, glaring contemptuously at the newly arrived boy.

"You! In the ring! Now!" she snapped at him, starting to brush by the woman in black who was still between her and the others. She was going to finish what she came here for, and then she was going to go train for a real fight!

"Me?" Jae Gu yelped, pointing at himself nervously as the redhead stormed towards him. "But I didn't do anything! I don't even know what's going on!"

"Like hell you didn't do anything!" Hye Shin declared. "You think you get to fight the Queen before anyone else does? Who do you think you are!"

"But I don't want to fight the Queen," Jae Gu took a nervous step back. "I don't even want to fight in the tournament! I already asked her if she would cancel the fight."

"Cancel?" Hye Shin spat, not caring that she was inside or at another school. "What kind of fighter would just back off from the Wilds' League? The winner gets everything! Fame, money, endorsements, you name it! And you really think I'll buy that you're just going to walk away from that?"

"But I don't want…" Jae Gu wanted to tear his hair out in frustration, but then he froze and a moment later continued in a completely different tone of voice. "How much money are we talking about?"

His Sunbae seemed surprised at the change in tone, but he was too busy focusing on the sudden and completely unexpected in his point of view topic of finances. He'd known that Wilds League was famous and very competitive world wide, but in the end it was still just a school tournament. The prize couldn't be that much, could it?

Then Hye Shin told him just how much it was, and he felt dizzy.

So much money! With that much, he wouldn't have to worry about rent for nearly a year! He could get furniture, real furniture! And tableware too! His brother and sister could have casual clothes!

"Pathetic," Hye Shin snapped as she watched the boy go into a daze at the thought of money. "As if someone like you could actually win the…"

She had been reaching out to grab the boy's jacket so she could pull him to the ring and finish his delusions then and there, when she was stopped as a grip like iron came down on her shoulder.

"I believe I already declared that all sparring was over," Lee Na informed her coldly.

"Who the hell are you too…!" Hye Shin started to swear and then she cut herself off so she could grit her teeth as the grip on her shoulder tightened painfully, shooting agony starting to spread throughout her body.

"The Wilds' Guard has been granted exemption from the country to stop all use of force," the imposing woman's tone didn't change. "If you choose to ignore…"

"Please wait a moment."

Lee Na wasn't the type of person was easily interrupted when she was doing her job, but even she seemed the slightest bit surprise at the tone of who had interrupted her. She eased her grip on the Goo Ra student so she could turn to them.

"While I can appreciate that this is your job, and that you are merely doing your duty as a member of the faculty," Alice continued in a perfectly polite and respectful tone of voice. Moon Young felt like gaping as the so far cruel and callous girl showed a level of manners she never would have thought her capable of. In Gyi was likewise put out by the change in her foe. "However, if at all possible, I would like to know if a match between the two would be allowed."

"You!" In Gyi hissed, glaring as she realized what Alice was doing. Jae Gu had already said that he didn't want to fight, and even if she wasn't on the Queen's level Hye Shin was a strong fighter. This, this could only be that evil woman trying to humiliate Jae Gu even more. She ignored the hypocrisy of her condemnation, seeing as she had tried to do exactly the same before. "Just how far will you go?"

Alice ignored her, patiently waiting for Lee Na to acknowledge her. The WG considered her for a moment, before releasing Hye Shin and turning to face Alice directly. The kick boxer felt her legs go out from under her, and she took deep gasping breaths as the pain receded, though she was ignored by both her former aggressor and her erstwhile rescuer.

"While I appreciate the courtesy behind your request," Lee Na stated coolly, a sentiment she actually meant considering that she had been witness to Alice's cruelty already, "I have stated that sparring is finished for the day. This is a direct order from the Director Lee."

"Understandable," Alice nodded, admitting the point before pressing on. "However, it was this girl's stated intentions to find Luka for a spar. It was only at me and my friends' interference that prevented her from having that chance."

"So then why precisely did you interfere?" Lee Na countered.

"My companions and I are longtime friends of Luka," Alice continued, sounding a trifle apologetic. "We had originally only wanted to visit him to ascertain how he was adjusting to the school. We had no intention of causing a scene, and apologize for that." She bowed stiffly and shallowly, but it was enough to be polite. "Now that we have ascertained that he is being well cared for, it would be embarrassing if we were the cause of him not having the chance to participate in school activities."

"Didn't you say something about coming here to destroy the Queen?" Moon Young protested, but Alice simply ignored her.

"Even if you say something like that," Lee Na shook her head slightly, "the orders did come down from President Lee…"

"Then perhaps you could consult him and make the request?" Alice cut her off, still politely. "Sparring is a noticeable part of this school's culture, and it would be a shame if the only male was denied the chance to participate…"

Lee Na wasn't the type to hesitate, but she was the type to pause when she gathered her thoughts. What Alice said was true, after all, and though she doubted the sincerity of the acerbic teen, the girl was making a good if probably dishonest in intent effort of being reasonable.

"One moment, please," Lee Na excused herself politely as she decided to just pass the request on and see what the President had to say. "Refrain from any sparring until I permit it."

*Scene Break*

When President Lee received the request, he couldn't refrain from a pleasant round of laughter.

"Oh," he finally concluded. "Too true!"

How thoughtless of him! Here he was, spending all his time thinking about his precious surrogate daughters, his female students, and all this time he hadn't even considered what it meant to have a son as well!

After all, even if he had made the school coed to help his students have more satisfying youths, it didn't change the fact that he owed it to all his students to have the same chance!

Ah, to be a young man again, so eager to impress his friends and fellow students. He had done right with his invitation to Song Jae Gu after all.

"Very well," he told the waiting Lee Na. "I'll allow it."

*Scene Break*

"I can't believe she'd do something like this," Moon Young growled, glaring over at where Alice was patiently waiting with the rest of the Hellgondo students. "This, this is horrible!" Nervously, she turned to give Jae Gu a glance to see how he was holding up to having his girlfriend trying to embarrass him in front of the whole school.

He looked so out of it, just standing there, staring at the floor intensely. Moon Young's heart went out to him, to have to put up with this kind of torment for so long. That ferocious cuddling urge came back, and she resolved that once this was all over she'd try to do something to get him back on his feet again.

"Jae Gu," Dal Dal seemed equally protective, though she looked far more ridiculous doing it than the boxer did. Moon Young smirked at the fading marker lines still on her face. She'd do something nice for the two kids too, later, just for that!

Even In Gyi seemed upset, though the Queen hid it well. Moon Young could just read her old friend well enough to make it past that cold outer shell.

"It has been allowed," Lee Na announced on her return, and even though Hye Shin glared at her the kick boxer couldn't quite suppress a quiver of fear at the woman's presence. That fear was quickly replaced by anger. Too think, she'd had to have some delinquent come to her aid to get her match!

Turning she gave one last contemptuous look at the still frozen boy, before turning and marching to the ring. She was going to end this quickly, just so she could get out of this crazy school and on with her life.

"Jae Gu," Moon Young began, watching as the boy didn't follow and instead stared at the ground in what she assumed was embarrassment and fear. "You don't have to…"

She was cut off from reassuring him that he could ignore the fight if he wanted to as Alice spoke up again.

"Luka," she declared, all trace of courtesy once again disappearing once she had gotten her desired results. "Hurry up and get in there. I don't have all day."

As though her voice was a switch, Jae Gu twitched and yelped, "Three new cushions and a tea set!" He glanced around, coming back from his idle day dream about having actual household commodities, only to find that while he had been imagining them something had happened. "What's going on again?" he asked, rubbing his head in embarrassment at having been caught drifting off. Then he scowled. "And stop calling me Luka already!"

"You have a match to see to," Alice told him, "and no. Now get moving. The longer this takes the more you embarrass me."

"A match?" Jae Gu repeated, only then glancing to the ring to see Hye Shin strapping on her gloves. He grimaced, face scrunched up in distaste. "But Alice…"

"No," she cut him off, "now go fight. Try not to show your wretched side so much."

"Will you ever shut up?" Moon Young scowled, moving to defend her under classman.

"No," Alice again answered bluntly, eyes narrowing as she stayed focused on Jae Gu. "Now get in there, Luka. Making me say something three times? You're as bad as Granberia! Is that how you show your devotion to your girlfriend?"

"You really want me to have this match, don't' you Alice?" Jae Gu just sighed, studying his girlfriend carefully. It was unusual to see her get this worked up about something. "Fine," he gave in, moving to the ring. "If it's that important to you…"

"Jae Gu…" Dal Dal started to try and stop him, but he didn't seem to notice as he started trudging his way to the ring. She bit her lip, before turning to glare at the Hellgondo students. "Just why are you being so mean to my Jae Gu!"

"Now, now, young lady," Tamamo answered her, smiling gently as she flipped open her fan and started to use it gently. "Your devotion to our little Luka is praiseworthy, but there's no need to worry."

"Perhaps you'd like someone to hold your hand while they fight?" Alma Elma suggested to the tae kwon do girl, licking her lips as she did so. "And maybe hold other things afterwards…"

"Er," Dal Dal flinched at the suggestive comment, before her eyes widened and she scowled. Nobody could be that blatant in their come-ons. It had to be a trick of some kind! Some sort of psychological attack! "I see what's going on now!" she stomped her foot angrily. "Trying to use cheap tricks like that! Well I won't be fooled again!"

"Of course, of course," Alma Elma grinned. "Just a trick…"

"Putting that aside," Tamamo continued, making a gesture with her hands as though she was literally picking something up and moving it sideways. "Tell me, young ladies, would you like to hear a bit about the Hellgondo school ladder system?"

"Why should we care what some delinquents get up to?" Moon Young scowled at her, though it was with less force than the one she leveled at Alice. The tiny girl was less antagonistic as a whole then Alice, or even Granberia for that matter, though why a middle schooler was wearing a high school uniform was confusing to the boxer.

"Precisely!" Tamamo chirped as she continued. "Hellgondo has been a reform school since it was made, thirty years ago. And naturally, delinquents tend to be quite violent and competitive. Because of that, the students ended up arranging a way to determine who was the strongest, both the high school and the middle school included. It naturally helped keep things more peaceful when everyone knew their strength in comparison to everyone else's."

"How'd they do that?" a new voice interrupted, and In Gyi and Dal Dal both looked over in surprise at the newcomer.

"Who are you?" Dal Dal demanded, and the girl blushed.

"That's just dragonfly girl," Moon Young told her, giving the under classman a look. "I'd almost forgotten you were still here."

"Ah, I'm being addressed by my Sunbae with my new nickname," Lee Go Seul sounded ridiculously happy at having the nickname stick.

"I'm glad you asked, young lady," Tamamo didn't seem to mind the new comer, though Erubetie did manage to pull away from her silent death glare at In Gyi to give the Wushu fighter a hard look of her own. "And you might find it interesting, seeing as your school does the same. The best way to find the strongest is a tournament, of course: the Monster Lord tournament, to be precise."

"Monster Lord?" Moon Young perked at that, the name sounding familiar. It only took a second for her to remember where she had heard that title before. "You mean…"

"Why of course," Tamamo snapped her fan shut to point at the boxer as though she were a teacher praising a student. "Every year, the heads of every gang, the Queens as they're called, and any other fighter who wants to try their hand gather, and they fight over who gets to be called the strongest in Hellgondo, the Monster Lord."

"Queens?" Moon Young repeated, and even if she was the one answering In Gyi also found herself being pulled in to the explanation. Moon Young snorted a moment later. "You hear that? A bunch of delinquents are playing copycat."

"The title of Queen has been used in Hellgondo for the head of a gang for nearly twenty five years," Granberia spoke up, eyes narrowing as she glared at the boxer. Moon Young wasn't certain when, but at some point the biker had recovered her pipe and she tapped it firmly against her shoulder. "It's you who are doing the copying."

"Now, now," Tamamo waved her fan at the biker. "There's no reason to be territorial. There are many who use 'Queen' as a title. Think nothing of it!"

"So why are you bringing all this up?" Moon Young found herself getting more at ease with Tamamo as the conversation went on. "What does all this have to do with anything?"

"You'll see," Tamamo assured her. "Now the tournament is open to all students, but since the beginning the Monster Lord has always been a third year in the high school. However, five years ago, something amazing happened! Five first years in the middle school stepped up to the tournament. At first all their Sunbae looked down on them, but as the tournament went on, no matter what they tried, those five just kept winning! For the first time ever, not only was there a single middle schooler who could contend for the title of Monster Lord, but five!"

"So who were they?" Dal Dal asked, also starting to get into the story. Moon Young gave a disbelieving look at the smaller girl.

"Are you seriously that stupid, pinky?" she demanded. Even if Moon Young wasn't the best student, even she could count!

"What are you talking about, piggy?" Dal Dal demanded, puffing her cheeks angrily as she glared at her rival. In response, Moon Young just pointed at the Hellgondo students. Dal Dal followed the finger, and then suddenly she gasped, smacking a fist into a hand. "Oh! You mean…"

"That's correct!" Tamamo praised the two, only reinforcing the image of a teacher in Moon Young's mind. "In the end, none of their Sunbae could even touch them, and it came down to the five! When the final match came, they held a battle royale, with the winner to have the title of Monster Lord. The first to stop was Alma Elma, Queen of the Succubae."

"It was just so boring to keep fighting," Alma shrugged as she admitted to having lost first. "And I had a date scheduled for right afterwards."

"Next, was a duel knock out," Granberia picked up the story. It was strangely nostalgic to talk about for her. "Tamamo, the Queen of the Foxes, and Erubetie, Queen of the Slimes, ended up taking each other out."

"Slimes?" Dal Dal snorted, giving a look at the two as Granberia waved at each in turn. Tamamo even curtsied to them. "Who chooses the name of their gang as 'Slimes'?"

"Someone a lot more dangerous than you," Erubetie murmured, and even as she bristled at the dismissal, the boxer couldn't help but think of the way the swim suited girl had taken apart the arm of a guy that was nearly half again her size.

"And finally, it came down to Granberia, the Queen of the Dragons and Alice, who had no gang at all at the time," Tamamo concluded the tale. "When it was over, all four of the Queens swore their loyalty to the victor! From then on, their Sunbae decided to call them the 'Four Heavenly Knights'."

"What is it with you gangs and your weird titles?" Moon Young muttered, but even if she said it dismissively, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of discomfort.

That story was familiar. One young student, rising to the top no matter how much their Sunbae tried to put them in their place, who ended up standing above all others in a victory carved out of the bodies of their defeated foes…

It reminded her of the Queen, Yoon In Gyi.

No, more than that. What really disturbed her was that the story could apply to all five of the girls in front of her. Even if Alice had come out on top, each of these 'Heavenly Knights' had a claim to an almost equal level of adversity. That right there was downright chilling to the boxer.

In Gyi also felt the unease that was plaguing her friend. Again, she found her eyes drawn towards Alice, and she found herself once more locking gazes with the grey haired girl. It was no easy thing, winning a tournament like that. In Gyi could remember just how desperately her own Sunbae had tried to keep some young upstart from taking first place at the last Wilds League. And if this girl, this Monster Lord, had managed to do it when she was fresh out of elementary school at that…

"So she won some tournament for punks," Dal Dal pursed her lip. Okay, winning a tournament meant she had some skill, that much she would admit. But it still wasn't a professional tournament. "And if she's still Monster Lord now, she's won five times?"

"Not quite," Tamamo leaned forward as though she were sharing a secret. "You see, she's won four times. After two years, there was no one who wanted to risk fighting her again. She was the undisputed Monster Lord, and the tournament was just so that everyone else could find where they ranked among the rest. But then, on the third year, someone came. No one thought they could do it, but they kept winning, and winning. Finally, there was no one left but them, the Heavenly Knights, and the reigning Monster Lord. One by one, the Knights fell, until it was finally just them and the Monster Lord. In the end, even Alice fell to them: the absolute strongest fighter in the delinquent world! Afterwards, they went on to unite every gang in the city, and unleashed a golden era of delinquency!"

"Golden era of delinquency?" Moon Young actually had to shake her head in disbelief at the words. "So then why is she still called the Monster Lord?" she demanded, now fully captivated by the story.

"Well, you see," Tamamo grinned widely, before popping open her fan to hide the grin. "They couldn't be the Monster Lord: only students of Hellgondo could have the title. And they couldn't be in Hellgondo, seeing as they were a guy."

Moon Young gave Tamamo a curious look. "A guy? But what does that have to…"

She cut herself off as what Tamamo was telling her struck her like a bolt of lightning. Whirling, she turned to stare at the arena, realizing that In Gyi had already done exactly that.

"Wait, I'm confused? So who was it?" Dal Dal declared, scratching her head, and Moon Young would have sighed at her rival, before just grabbing her head and twisting it to face the ring too.

*Scene Break*

Hye Shin could see those stuck up Wilds' girls talking about something with those delinquent Hellgondo students, but frankly she couldn't care less. Instead she was focusing all her contempt at the boy in front of her.

'This will be quick,' she decided as he shrugged out of his jacket, pushing his sleeves up past his elbows before he started fumbling with the gloves. It was obvious that he wasn't familiar with them, and it took him a bit of shifting before he had them on securely.

Then, something happened that gave her pause. She wasn't sure how to describe it, but a change came over the boy. It was like he was… unfolding was the best word she could think of to describe the way he straightened to his full height, shoulders uncurling as he drew himself up. She realized with a bit of shock that this Song Jae Gu was actually taller than her!

"Are we supposed to wear mouth guards or something?" he asked, and despite the change in his appearance he still sounded as wimpy as before. It helped Hye Shin focus, getting over the shock of the sudden change in demeanor.

"Why? If you're worried about your teeth you can always give up," she challenged him, getting into a stance. "But if you do, you have to give up your right to fight the Queen!"

"But I don't want to fight the Queen," he protested, before sighing in resignation. "Oh, whatever."

"Fighters ready?" Lee Na asked, moving to stand in the ring too. Seeing as this event had officially been condoned by Wilds High, she moved easily to step in as the referee, a job she was familiar with. Hye Shin gave a jerk of a nod, and Jae Gu gave an awkward one. "Then, Fi-"

The moment the first syllable was out of her lips, Hye Shin's eyes shot open in shock as the boy in front of her launched himself with nearly unreal speed. She managed to catch sight of the blow he was launching, as he pin wheeled his arms, twisting the left one wide to help swing his body as his right fist came up in a devastating uppercut.

She had been holding a loose guard, not expecting the fight to start with such intensity, and she desperately tried to close her arms to intercept the blow. If she could just get her elbows in time to intercept the knuckles…

She almost made it. She had them closed enough that a normal uppercut would have been caught, but she only had a moment of appalling clarity as Jae Gu simply twisted his fist, somehow corkscrewing his fist through the gap. Once it had cleared the hole in her defense, he twisted it back, the force of the attack knocking her arms open, and then there was a blinding flash of tooth rattling pain as the blow struck her clean in her chin.

'How?' she desperately thought through the sudden haze in her head. 'How the hell did he do that?' She felt disconnected from her body, a disjointed and uncontrollable realization that not only had he struck her cleanly, but that the force of the blow had snapped her head back painfully, throwing her backwards in a stereotypical arc over the ring like something out of a movie.

And then his left arm swung, the pin wheel motion reversing until the fist came down in a hammer blow square on her stomach. She felt the impact hard, and a strangled gasp escaped her lip as the strength of the attack forced bile to erupt from her mouth.

As she plummeted to the floor of the arena, she thought she heard someone say something like, "-ight," but she couldn't really be certain. All she felt was the impact of the floor beneath her, and then something hard, a shoe maybe? Something hard, whatever it was, followed up, striking her in the stomach again and sending her rolling. This time the cough forced up something red and sticky.

She felt the world start to fade, a not unfamiliar feeling of unconsciousness as it settled on her. 'But…I… the Queen…'

And then there was nothing but darkness.

*Scene Break*

Moon Young tried to swallow, but found her throat too dry. That, that had been Jae Gu, right? Small, shy, awkward Jae Gu, the cute kid who she had accidently ran down three days ago, wasn't he?

She wasn't sure at that moment.

He looked nearly exactly the same. Sure, he had straightened up, and she was actually kind of surprised at how tall and wide he was when he wasn't hunched in on himself, but beyond that he looked the exact same. There was no change in expression, no difference in his visible features or movements. There was nothing there to account for this vicious, brutal, completely unexpected violence that had just been revealed.

As though to emphasize the disconnect in her mind, Jae Gu spoke into the hush that had settled on the room. "We're supposed to stop when they're outside the ring, right?" he asked Lee Na, turning slightly so that he could give the referee a brief look while still facing the fallen Hye Shin. His brow wrinkled in thought. "Wait, for that matter, are kicks legal?"

"Yes," Lee Na assured him, pacing slowly towards the fallen girl. If the Wilds Guard was in any way disturbed by the way the fight had went, she was doing a whole lot better at hiding it than Moon Young was. Instead, she just bent to check the girl.

"Oh," Jae Gu nodded. "Good." He paused, and then awkwardly scratched his head. "So is this over, or do we have rounds or something? I'm not used to fighting in matches like this…"

"You have got to be kidding me," Moon Young muttered to herself, unable to believe what she was seeing.

That speed, that strength; no, more than that, the way in which he used it! His style was unorthodox, from what she had seen, but in three moves he had brushed past an accomplished professional's guard, and then proceeded to pulverize her into unconsciousness.

It was surreal. It was unbelievable…

It was…

It was like watching Queen fight.

Moon Young tensed when the thought occurred to her. It was true. In Gyi tended to draw it out more, to show more courtesy towards her opponent, give them chances to surrender or recover, but when she struck it was with the same brutal finality, a roundhouse to the temple as a surefire way to keep the opponent down.

"You see?" Tamamo didn't seem the least bit put off by the fight. If anything, she seemed satisfied, almost proud. Moon Young managed to tear her eyes away from Jae Gu, focusing back on the Hellgondo students. None of them looked surprised, and Alice was even smiling, a cold satisfaction obvious in the serpentine gesture. "He couldn't be the Monster Lord, not if he wasn't from Hellgondo, and he couldn't be a Queen either," she tittered at how unsuitable the title would be for a boy. "But after their fight, the Monster Lord swore her own loyalty to him, and even if he never fought in the tournament again, she still abided by his rules. The loser has to obey the winner, after all."

"What kind of logic is that?" Moon Young actually felt a little dizzy. So, if all this was true, then despite the way Alice acted, despite her cruelty, she was actually weaker than Jae Gu? She actually obeyed HIM, and not the other way around? This, this was all getting to be too much.

"The best kind," Tamamo nodded at the brutally simple logic. "And since he is technically in charge, even if he stays out of sight, he was given the title 'King Who Rules From Darkness', our Merciless Angel, Luka."

"Your titles keep getting more and more ridiculous," Moon Young managed to get out, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

"That was so cool," Dal Dal whispered, staring in awe as Jae Gu started pulling his gloves off. Nearby, the Goo Ra compliment seemed shocked, as though no one could believe what they had just seen. A doctor was already present, taking stock of their fallen leader's injuries. "My Jae Gu is so strong!"

"Do you know the best way to destroy someone?" For the first time since she had arranged the fight, Alice spoke. Moon Young turned to look at her only to find that the snake booted girl had eyes only for In Gyi. It took Queen a moment to pull her eyes away from where Jae Gu was awkwardly asking the doctor if Hye Shin would be alright, but once she did she met her antagonist's gaze squarely.

"The best way to destroy someone is to give them every advantage before you fight," Alice continued, sounding like she had been bored by the match and now that the distraction was over it was time to focus on business. "Let them choose the place, let them set the rules. Let them bring whatever weapon they want, to stack the deck as much as they can in their favor. And then, despite them having an overwhelming advantage, you beat them anyway. It's only then that the will to rebel disappears, any thought of trying again crushed."

"Troublesome rules," Granberia muttered, "but they do work." Moon Young remembered how it had only taken a word from Alice before the biker had capitulated, trading her pipe for the gloves despite her stated dislike for them. Was that what that had been about?

"Luka dislikes it when gangs interfere with normal students," Alice continued. "Because of that, we only target schools that already have gangs, and even then only the delinquent students. We've never had to conquer Wilds simply because there was never a gang here to conquer." Her smile grew. "That was, until one of you took the title of 'Queen', and then challenged our leader to a match."

Moon Young could barely hear it, but she could make out as In Gyi took a sharper than normal breath as she realized what Alice was saying: it was because of In Gyi that they were here, that it was her fault they had shown up on Hellgondo's radar.

"The Wilds League," Alice declared, sounding satisfied that her point had been made. "It's what made you a Queen in the first place; it's your most famous tournament. It was what you chose to challenge my Luka in, after all." Alice flicked her hair back nonchalantly. "So when it begins, we're going to enter, and I'm going to strip that title off your broken body myself." Her grin widened. "That is if Luka doesn't do it himself."

Without another word, Alice turned to leave, not even bothering to go to her boyfriend. The Knights followed after, only Granberia pausing to give Moon Young a brief nod, as though thanking her for the fight earlier, even if it had been interrupted. That and Alma pausing to blow another kiss at Dal Dal.

"See you then," Alice called over her shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's Notes: Well, here's chapter 6, proving once again that once I get easily distracted. A lot of reviewers had questions about how Jae Gu ended up the way he did, and other stuff like that. Lucky for them, those questions get answered here and now!_

_This chapter is a whole bunch of backstory, basically._

_Tried to keep it interesting, and those familiar with MGQ will probably be interested in yet another element of the fusion's history. For those more familiar with GotW, I pulled a lot from that too: Jae Gu's dad, his natural talent for fighting as remarked on by the girls, his being naturally in good shape as a result of his work, and the fact that if you push him too far he'll snap and come at you with a gas canister or attempt to kill you with a brick._

_I guess Alice's naturally aggravating presence just happened to get to him way quicker than normal. Bad Alice! No breaking Jae Gu!_

_Anyway, mostly a bunch of set up for what comes next, but getting to write Scaredy Cat Alice is always fun, all on itself._

_Now, not much need for a bunch of Author's Notes. Just a warning, I recently got promoted at work, which is awesome, but you can expect it to throw my writing schedule off plenty as well, so heads up on that._

_Now,_

*Story Start*

Chapter Six

"Drink your tea," President Lee said, not unkindly, "before it gets cold."

The older man heard the two children behind him shuffle, an awkward sound, but he remained looking out the window of his office. It was times like this that he truly did think about his students as his own kids. He'd had two actual children himself, though they were both all grown up now and had moved onto have successful careers.

Right now, the way Song Jae Gu and Yoon In Gyi were sitting, guiltily shifting in their respective chairs, the two reminded him of his actual son and daughter after he had broken up a fight and was thinking up a punishment for the two.

Which wasn't too far off, seeing as that was almost exactly what was going on now.

Still, even as President Lee sighed he couldn't help but feel his own hand in the situation. He had given word to have the sparring stopped before things got out of hand, in the end, and then he had allowed the disastrous match between the Goo Ra student and his own Song Jae Gu. In a way, he bore his own guilt over what had occurred afterwards.

Still, despite himself, one of the reasons he was facing away from the two was because he didn't want either of them to see the proud smile that he was having trouble getting rid of.

Wilds above all else prided itself on its fighting prowess. The school's motto was 'Personal Strength is National Strength', after all, and even if it was somewhat unexpected, it still filled him with pride to see that the only male in the school so far also had it in him to exemplify that motto.

In Gyi was feeling a great deal less proud at the moment. In fact, she was feeling remarkably humble, and she wasn't sure how she felt about the unfamiliar feeling.

When had she screwed up so profoundly? How had she ended up in this mess?

Try as she might, and try she did, she found that she had no one to blame but herself. She had been the one to single out Jae Gu for her shoes and stockings, an action which had been meant merely to show her position to the only boy in Wilds in an attempt to warn him off from trying to use her as so many other men had in the past, and in the end she had found that he had irreversibly wormed his way into her thoughts. She had been the one to try and punish him for his peeking, and had ended up learning that taking things too far could have consequences all their own.

Consequences like having made herself a target for what was probably the strongest gang of fighting delinquents in the city. Consequences like having set up a match with their leader on public television of all things!

It wasn't that In Gyi was frightened. Even if she hadn't known Jae Gu personally, she wouldn't have shied away from fighting any of the other girls in his gang.

And wasn't it odd to think of Jae Gu of all people having a gang?

Anyway, back to her original train of thoughts. She wouldn't have shied away from fighting any of them. She was strong, she knew that, and she had the skill and strength to be confident that she could prevail in a match with those girls. In fact, just the thought of Alice's smug snake grin made her clench her hand dangerously around the cup of tea in her hands. If it was Alice, she might just pay for the chance to wipe that smug smile off her face!

Jae Gu's thoughts were similarly complex. On one hand, he had truly hoped to disappear into the background, to have a quiet high school life avoiding the attention of his classmates, doing his schoolwork, spending time with his Alice and the others when he could spare it, and above all else, not getting involved in ridiculous fighting escapades.

Still, when he considered what his friends were like, he knew that that last bit had been a doomed dream, but he could hope, couldn't he?

And now, not only was he neck deep in a situation where fighting seemed to be the only way out, but he was also starting to stand out as a problem student. His scholarship, his chance at graduating and getting a better paying job to support his siblings before they made it to middle school, was in serious jeopardy.

And worst of all, apparently everyone in the school new his stupid nickname!

"Song Jae Gu," President Lee finally felt he had the smile well enough under control that he wouldn't end up giving himself away. "You are a student of Wilds High, are you not?"

"Yes sir," Jae Gu answered obediently, hoping that statement wasn't a preclude to him no longer being as such.

"Queen," Lee continued, "nothing defines you better than being Wild High's 'S'-class, does it not?"

In Gyi refrained from answering, though inside she couldn't argue his point. The very title 'Queen' came about due to her success in the Wilds League, and if you were to mention her name to someone on the street they were more likely to answer with a 'You mean from Wilds?' then 'Oh, the heir of YK?' or any other reference.

"I have a few grievances about the events that happened here today," the President continued, "and I will admit, I have my own culpability in them as well. But the most important thing to remember is that you are both from before as well as from now on members of Wilds High. You both have a duty to obey the schools rules."

In Gyi didn't change her expression, but she couldn't help but feel like a child being lectured at that moment. Jae Gu on the other hand couldn't keep himself from thinking about his ever increasing record of tardiness.

"Song Jae Gu," Lee continued. "I know you are attending due to a scholarship, but most important is that you are the first male student to attend Wilds High. What we need you to focus on is doing your best to adapt to the school, and setting an example for other future male students. If this style of interruption continues, then it will set a terrible precedent for the future."

"I'm sorry, sir," Jae Gu stuttered, grimacing. "My friends were just worried, is all. I'll have a talk with them about not causing scenes like that again…"

"Good lad," the President nodded. He couldn't fault someone for just being concerned for a friend, even if that someone or someones were of a somewhat disreputable nature. He had been young once too, and had had some pretty wild adventures with some rather rough fellows. "See that you do. However, there is another matter that needs addressing as well."

"Sir?" Jae Gu repeated, not sure just what that other matter was. It was sad that he already had a list of things which he could be chewed out for.

"Three cracked teeth, a concussion, severe abdominal bruising," President Lee listed, feeling a touch of amusement over just how thoroughly Jae Gu had beaten his opponent. He shouldn't, he knew, but they had been the ones to come to his school and challenge his students. "The doctors are taking x-rays in order to determine if any ribs have been broken, and Ms. Kim Hye Shin will have to be kept overnight for observation for any potential swelling in the brain."

"Ah," Jae Gu glanced away guiltily. "I might have been a little overzealous," he admitted. Hurriedly he stood, bowing apologetically. "I apologize, sir. I'm just unfamiliar with the rules for proper sparring, and just thought to put forth my best effort. I'll be sure not to spar again…"

"Now, now," Lee cut the boy off, not wanting to give him the wrong idea. "There's no need to go that far," he corrected Jae Gu. "It's just a matter of you receiving some proper instruction in courtesy and sportsmanship, that is all." Honestly, the list wasn't even that unfamiliar when it came to injuries. With students like that excitable Moon Young, Dal Dal, and In Gyi, he had heard the local hospital had started to refer to the list as 'The Wilds Special'. "However, you are not the only one here who behaved inappropriately."

When President Lee's gaze turned firmly to In Gyi, the impression of being a little kid that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar only increased in her. It was only her impeccable poker mask which prevented her from squirming.

"Just as Jae Gu has a duty to act as an example for his future male classmates, and to lead the way for forging interaction between them and the established student body, you too have an duty to act as an example of what it means to embody Wilds High's fighting spirit. To let yourself be provoked so easily only sets an example to the rest of the students that using violence is an acceptable answer when it truly isn't!"

In Gyi didn't give a 'yes sir' like Jae Gu did, but she did hunch a bit. President Lee nodded to himself as he took the non-verbal cue as the equivalent.

"We are not a school of ruffians like Hellgondo…" Lee had used the delinquent school as an example so often that he didn't even realize that he had named young Jae Gu's friend's school until he had, and he paused, turning to give the young man an apologetic look. "No offense meant."

"None taken," Jae Gu muttered, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as he found himself unable to defend his friends' reputation truthfully. Lee cleared his throat, turning back to In Gyi.

"We have a code of sportsmanship, of honorable matches, and courtesy to our opponents to uphold," he continued. "If the other students see you resorting to violence so easily, what kind of example are you setting?"

"…My apologies, President Lee," she finally murmured, and Lee nodded, content to take the soft spoken answer. He had spent many years as an educator, after all, and he was adept enough at reading his students.

"Accepted," he told her, smiling gently to soften his words. He let loose a theatrical sigh, deliberately breaking the mood he had set earlier. "Honestly, with so much going on, I almost feel like I should set forth some kind of punishment. As both of you are participants, maybe I should have your right to choose your opponent in the League revoked and have Song Jae Gu go through the preliminaries to regain the chance!"

He had meant it as a joke, so when Jae Gu hesitantly spoke up, he was honestly surprised. "Um, President… That might be for the best…"

Despite her best effort, In Gyi couldn't stop her sharp intake of breath from being audible.

"What do you mean?" President Lee felt his brow knit as he tried to understand the young man in front of him. "It is an immense privilege to be able to skip the preliminaries, and even more so to challenge the reigning champion directly."

"Um," Jae Gu bit his lip, already knowing that what he was about to say would probably cause the other man to ask uncomfortable questions. "I don't really like to fight, and I'm afraid that the only reason Queen challenged me was due to, er," he tried to find a way to sum up the events that led to this match that wouldn't cause trouble for anyone involved, "well, it was due to a set of embarrassing circumstances," he finally concluded. "I have already spoken to the Queen about canceling the match, and if the school agrees…"

Lee found himself honestly at a loss for words at the confession. Just what possibly could have happened to have a match with the reigning champion end up being set?

Almost as soon as he asked himself the question, he found himself suppressing a round of laughter.

Oh, he had thought this kind of thing only happened in manha, or bad drama! He could almost picture the scene, the nervous young man approaching a beautiful older girl, hoping to ask her out, only for her to misinterpret and think he asked her to have a match! It was so improbable that he dismissed it out of hand. Maybe it had been the other way, the older girl seeking the date, only for the younger man to embarrass her some way?

President Lee even entertained the thought that maybe he had accidently seen her in the shower or something, but that felt even more unlikely than his other imaginary scenarios!

Oh, this was why he so firmly believed that his daughters of the Wilds needed their chance to learn their life lessons about dealing with the other gender now, rather than later. Best to let these kind of lessons be learned in an environment where they can find support and guidance, rather than later when they might not have the aid they need to deal with the fallout!

Still, whatever the situation between these two, it was still a troubling thing that this young man was asking. Wilds prided itself on the League, and by both the standards of the school and even the national fighting community, it was an enviable honor to be able to participate, no matter the circumstances behind the chance.

"Are you certain about what you're asking?" he asked the younger man, trying to judge just how determined Jae Gu was about bowing out of the opportunity. "Participation in the Wilds League is prestigious, but more than just the accolades it is also a school function, and can count as participation in extracurricular activities." He saw the way Jae Gu hesitated at that, and pressed on. "More than that, it has been a way for several students in the past to launch their own professional careers, and the prize itself is not inconsiderable."

President Lee noted the way Jae Gu visibly flinched at the mention of the prize money that winning the league meant. The poor young man looked conflicted, biting his lip as he answered. "That is… that aside, I do have… I mean there are circumstances…"

President Lee finally understood why the boy might want to avoid the chance. He was aware of the situation the young man was in, seeing as it had probably been one of the major contributors to the boy even accepting the scholarship. Lee had been an educator for many years, and he had seen all types of family situations in that time. Truthfully, while Jae Gu's were poor, they were far from the worst he had seen over the years.

"Well," he cut off the boy, allowing him the opportunity to avoid losing face by admitting his home life. Few things were as painful for young men than having to confess that kind of thing, especially in front of a classmate. "I would prefer not to have to cancel the match," he admitted. "But I can hardly force one of my students to fight when they do not want to." Pressing now would only alienate the boy, and he would be conflicted even in the fight. Better to give him the chance to collect his thoughts and make his own decision. "There is one other here whose opinion should also be considered."

Lee turned to the other side of the strange equation he had found himself stumbling into. "Well, In Gyi," he prompted. She had been the one who issued the challenge, after all, and she did have her own stake in the match. "Are you fine with allowing the match to be cancelled?"

In Gyi felt the silent war between the snakes and the butterflies that had set up shop in her stomach so recently begin once more. She saw the way Jae Gu turned to her hopefully, the silent entreaty to let the fight be cancelled obvious. It would be easy to make amends for the earlier confrontation, and just give him what he wanted.

Despite that, she stayed silent.

She didn't want to cancel the match.

Her stomach twisted some more. Despite his desire to avoid fighting, she found that she didn't share his wish. She wanted the chance to have a match with him. It wasn't right of her, she knew that. She was effectively forcing Jae Gu to do it, after all. He had other things to focus on, had asked her to cancel the match so he could do that focusing, and despite all that she…

In fact, now that she knew Jae Gu could fight, she found herself excited over the upcoming fight! It wasn't a desire to beat him, or any urge to humiliate him. Actually, in retrospect, after having seen him fight she felt embarrassed at having made the assumption that she would automatically win, and the speech she had given him about lasting a minute against her being the proudest moment of his life felt a bit foolish, borderline arrogant for that matter.

Her mind was just moving too fast, too many thoughts and conflicting emotions present. She felt as though her head was going to come apart! She didn't even know why she wanted the match to go on, but she couldn't bring herself to cancel it, despite his wishes.

'Is this what it means to be a monster?' she asked herself, recalling Jae Gu's words. As though he could read her mind, she saw the hope fade from his face as he realized that she wasn't going to give in so easily. Instead his expression settled into resignation, but despite that he had small smile on his lips as he shook his head regretfully.

The butterflies once more proved the victors over the snakes in the battle for territory in her digestive track.

"You can have a match, or not," President Lee finally spoke up, turning once more to look out the window. Despite his words, he found himself once more having to suppress a knowing smile. It wouldn't do to let the children see it. That would only make them more defensive.

Ah, the awkwardness of youth: every bit as exasperating to watch as it was nostalgic.

"We will work to find a solution that is satisfactory to both parties," he continued, dismissing the two. "I will work to find something that is acceptable to everyone, so until then have patience with me."

"Yes sir," this time In Gyi spoke up, in unison with Jae Gu.

*Scene Break*

The day seemed to alternate between going too fast, to going far too slow, in Moon Young's opinion. After the tension of the morning, she had trouble calming down, and it was as though her body couldn't decide if the drone of her teachers was relaxing, or frustrating.

Once class was over, she decided that she'd let the vice president of the boxing club take charge for the day. She had something she wanted to do, and she wanted it done as quick as possible.

Still, even as she swung her legs over her bike, eyes open to look for her target, she noticed the Queen leaving, the cool young woman making her way deliberately over to where she knew her limousine would be waiting. For a moment Moon Young hesitated, wondering if she should invite her friend along.

Oh, who was she kidding? Considering where she was going, there was no way Queen wouldn't want to come along.

Pedaling quickly, Moon Young managed to cut In Gyi off, skidding her bike to a stop in front of the other girl. With a playful leer, she put on her best 'old man' voice.

"Hey there, little lady," she grinned thumbing the grill that she had attached to the back of her bike. It mostly was a place for her to strap groceries too when she took her bike shopping, but In Gyi had used it as a seat before. "How's about hitchen a ride with a swell guy like me? Whatcha say? How about it?"

Usually In Gyi would just roll her eyes at the lame joke, but today Moon Young was surprised when she actually scowled. Well, scowled as in her eye twitched momentarily. Why couldn't her friend show that cute side of hers more often, Moon Young lamented to herself.

"Who would want to ride on a thing like that?" In Gyi declared, swerving to step around the boxer. "So immature!"

Moon Young blinked, and had an irreverent moment when she wondered what had twisted the Queen's panties in a bunch, before she brushed past it and pedaled so she could keep pace with the passively aggressive storming that In Gyi was indulging in.

"Well, immature or not," Moon Young continued, acting nonchalant. "I can guarantee you'll want to come along, at least for a bit."

"And why might that be?" In Gyi didn't seem inclined to play along with whatever game her friend was playing.

"Because I'm about to head over to ask Jae Gu what the deal is with him and those delinquent girls," Moon Young instead declared bluntly. It took her a second to hit the brakes as In Gyi froze nearly mid step. "I know I'm curious, that much is for sure. How about you? Well, aintcha?"

In Gyi was quiet for a second, before delicately moving to sit herself on the earlier offered seat. Despite the fact that she didn't say a thing, Moon Young grinned at the unspoken acknowledgement.

'Hook, line, and sinker,' Moon Young thought to herself triumphantly. She'd caught sight of Jae Gu a minute ago, with that annoying pinky trailing behind. Moon Young was confident she could catch up with the two before they got too far away.

"Well then young lady," she resumed her 'old man' voice. "Why don't we have a little fun?"

"Just drive," In Gyi told her curtly, and Moon Young grinned.

She had to give Jae Gu this much: whatever crazy and unbelievable history he might have, he was great for getting to the uptight Queen.

"Now," she continued in a mutter to herself as she once more indulged her habit of thinking out loud. "How to get the kid to talk? Should I try to be subtle maybe? I could play the concerned Sunbae card, I suppose. Soften him up a bit, talk about casual things, than kind of sneak the question in there. But me and subtlety …"

*Scene Brek*

Jae Gu was sort of expecting an interrogation at one point or another. He'd gotten one too, from most of the girls in his class for that matter. There had been a whole flock of circling vultures, er, women, pestering him with questions in break today, but he felt he had handled himself well enough.

Bolting for the nearest faculty toilet, which had been opened to him as the only male while some of the bathrooms were updated to be specific to his gender, every break and then making sure to pretend that he didn't notice the dozen folded pieces of paper that began accumulating on his desk while class was going on.

Jae Gu was a master of dealing with adversity, and as depressing as it was dealing with large numbers of rambunctious curious females was something he was rather familiar with at this point; a side effect of being around large numbers of Hellgondo students in the past, no doubt.

Still, even as he made his way to work, he realized that there were some girls in the school that he was familiar enough with at this point not to have to resort to his usual protocols when dealing with the gender.

The short Dal Dal, for instance, who had steadfastly refused to take a hint as she once more followed him to work.

"Walking with my Jae Gu," Dal Dal was humming cheerfully. "All through the streets! Watching my Jae Gu, as he goes to work! Wondering what he's thinking, wondering what he'll do! Walking with my Jae Gu, all, though, the streets!"

Dal Dal was rather proud of herself at the moment. Here she was, innocently and nonchalantly accompanying the boy. Soon, she would have him lulled into a false sense of security, and then she could casually ask him about that tramp, Alice, er, Alma Elma, er, which one was she supposed to be guarding him from again?

Well, Dal Dal decided, it wasn't like he was sleeping with all of those girls or anything. She could iron out the details later. For now, she just had to keep humming her little tune until his defenses lowered. It shouldn't be long now. The lyrics were genius, and the melody was so soothing. Soon, after he was suitably relaxed, she could begin her subtle…

"Screw subtlety," the voice of her longtime rival caused Dal Dal to arch her back like a cat, and she nearly hissed. Moon Young! What was she doing here? That piggy should just back off while Dal Dal worked her magic!

As though thinking her name was a charm to summon a devil, Dal Dal watched as Moon Young pulled even on her bike, revealing that even Queen had shown up to ruin her Jae Gu time! How was she supposed to wheedle the answers she needed out of him if…

"So," Moon Young continued, dropping her feet to the ground so she could propel herself one step at a time in step with Jae Gu. "What's the deal with you and those five?" It hadn't taken Moon Young long at all to realize that she probably wasn't the most qualified to try and get answers without Jae Gu realizing what she was doing. So, rather than embarrass herself doing things she wasn't used to she decided to just go ahead and ask straight up. "And that whole 'King of Darkness' or whatever thing too."

"You idiot!" Dal Dal hissed, before deciding that since the ice had already be broken, she might as well take the opportunity. "And who was that slut? Using mind games and stuff…"

Dal Dal still hadn't forgotten how easily Alma Elma had managed to trick her, and she would not forgive, nor would she forget!

"And that snake woman," surprisingly, even In Gyi spoke up, softly venting her own curiosity at that wretched woman.

"Er, Alice?" Jae Gu didn't think there could be anyone else needing the tittle of 'snake woman' but stranger things had happened. Despite the fact that he was being bombarded with questions, by women of all things, he didn't feel the same overwhelming tension and desire to run that he had gotten from his actual classmates.

In Moon Young's case, she was already proving to be a dependable Sunbae. She might have been responsible for the whole mess between himself and Queen, but besides that she made the effort to offer her hand to him: offering to help him adjust in the boxing club after the mess with In Gyi started, trying to calm Queen down after she had chosen him for a match because of the whole shower incident, helping to settle things down after he revealed he was in a relationship, even taking offense when Alice was being Alice around him. He didn't know if he could trust her yet, but so far she really did seem like someone who actually cared and was trying.

That meant a lot to Jae Gu. More often than not he had seen more people who had taken sight of his circumstances and chosen to make life harder than he had people who wanted to help.

Dal Dal, well, she might not be as altruistic as Moon Young had shown herself to be, but even if she had her own painfully obvious agenda she still hadn't shown herself to be a bad person. Single minded, immensely stubborn, harder to pry off than a barnacle, but not a bad person. Just someone who was a little too committed to what she chose to commit to.

And as for In Gyi, well…

"You really do remind me of her," Jae Gu muttered softly, and even though Moon Young and Dal Dal didn't seem to understand his words, In Gyi stiffened momentarily. It looked to Jae Gu as though she alone understood his words, and the glare she leveled at him made the one he got for having walked in on her in the shower look tame.

Sadly, in his mind, it only reinforced the connection between the two in his mind.

"I was thirteen," he admitted, "when I met Alice."

"Tsk," Dal Dal muttered to herself, glaring to the side. "A childhood friend too!" Despite the Tae Kwon Doist speaking up, Moon Young and In Gyi seemed to realize just how lucky they were to actually get an answer to their blunt questions.

"We met on my first day in middle school. It was right after my father died and my mother," he trailed off for a moment, but he managed to unclench his fists before anyone seemed to notice, "my mother was already gone," he concluded vaguely. "I didn't like her much at first, but she kinda singled me out. She would always show up though and start talking to me, and I kind of got used to her.

"My school was right near Hellgondo Middle, and she was a student there too at the time," he continued, fixing his eyes to the pavement in front of him. "Back then I didn't know anything about the 'Monster Lord' tournament or any of that. I was trying to pay my rent on time, and learning how to shop for discounts, and what stores were willing to give handouts if you asked for stale products," he shrugged matter-of-factly. "That and trying to find a cheaper apartment, and a babysitter, and…"

He trailed off, sighing as he pushed his bangs back. Only someone who had been there could really understand what it was like to live through something like that. No use talking about it.

"One day, one of the Hellgondo gangs, I don't even remember which one, tried to mug me," he admitted. "I, well, I was really tired, and hungry. The only money I had was what I needed to make sure that I'd have enough money to feed the twins." Jae Gu gave a halfhearted shrug. "I was tired all the time back then. When a couple of girls a few years older than me showed up, and demanded I give them the only thing that I had to get food for my brother and sister… It was like something snapped."

His audience was quiet, but each of them could see it in their head. They could imagine a younger Jae Gu, and it was probably not a coincidence that each of them had painted an adorable image in their head, but they could still imagine him in that situation with that adorable image overlaid by the fighter they had seen in the ring earlier that day.

Two of them found the result slightly disturbing. One of them just thought it made the picture more adorable.

"I was just so angry," Jae Gu's voice was harsh, something sharp and bitter. "Here I was, fighting every day just to survive, and then these PUNKS," he growled the word, "these brats who would just go home and eat three course meals made by their MOTHERS who took care of every chore they had, and then went out to mug someone who really needed the money so they could go out and have SPENDING CHANGE…"

"Oi, oi," Moon Young actually started to get worried as she watched Jae Gu start to uncurl like she had seen him do before unleashing brutality on Hye Shin. She even started to raise a nervous hand to try and calm him down, but it was an unnecessary gesture. Even as she did so, Jae Gu relaxed, his entire body folding back in on itself. He was taking deep breaths and his eyes fluttered closed briefly, but when they opened his voice was again under control, conversational even.

"I guess I sort of snapped," he admitted, sounding sheepish. "There was a fight, and even though I was hungry, even though I was tired, even though they were older than me, and there was more of them than me, that they were more used to fighting than me, well, I won." He rolled his shoulders a bit self-consciously. "I, well, I was even good at it; fighting that is."

"Jae Gu," Dal Dal said softly. She wasn't certain if she was sickened or awed by the story. She wasn't even sure which emotion was attached to which part of the story. Jae Gu managed to give her a small comforting smile, as though she was the one who needed it after having just heard what he had actually lived through.

"Alice had been nearby, and even though she hadn't interfered, she'd seen the whole thing," Jae Gu continued. "Afterwards, she sat me down and told me a couple hard facts. I had managed to win, yeah, but they were part of a gang. They wouldn't take it lying down. Even if the ones I had beaten never told anyone, they would probably come back some day to get revenge. And if they were willing to admit to being beaten, they might get their gang to help out. I might have won, yeah, but it meant that I would have to fight again, some other time, and if I didn't win than, than I would probably get what I had given with interest. She started teaching me how to fight that night."

"At the time," In Gyi spoke up softly, causing Moon Young to yelp and nearly collapse the bike. Queen managed to keep herself seated despite the sudden and nearly disastrous quakes to her chair. "At the time, wasn't she the Monster Lord? Couldn't she have just ordered the gangs to leave you alone?"

No one noticed, but the steel mesh of her seat started to bend slightly as her fingers dug into them.

'That woman,' In Gyi hissed in her mind, a seething anger starting to build in her. 'Why hadn't she helped!'

"If she had, then what?" Jae Gu shrugged. "If she singled me out, than she would have made me an even bigger target. All the gangs or Queens who wanted to get one up on her would have targeted me just to get her. Even if she gave orders, there would be someone who would try to use me against her, and if they wanted to use me they could always go after my siblings…" Jae Gu quickly shook his head. "The best answer was to teach me how to look after myself, and Alice did just that."

"Hmph," Dal Dal muttered, "I would have done a better job!" Despite her words, she decided that she wouldn't mock the current girlfriend once she had managed to win over Jae Gu's heart. Dal Dal supposed that as long as they just kept it at friends, she could let the two hang out sometimes.

Obviously, even if Alice wasn't the destined love that she and Jae Gu shared, she was still worth keeping around for prior contributions.

"After that, it kind of settled into a routine," Jae Gu continued his story. "Gangs were starting to take notice of me, but I was getting better and better at fighting, so I kept winning. I started to get to know the way all the other gangs interacted, you know what I mean?" He shrugged again, trying to find a way to explain that turbulent time. "Back then, Alice didn't really get involved with other gangs. If she tried to order them around, than it would just turn out that someone would screw around just to mess with her. Back then even if the Heavenly Knights were loyal and the Queens would obey, they had all the low level gangers who would just go and do their own thing. It was like nothing would ever end the way things were."

Jae Gu paused, hand coming up again to push back his bangs. Moon Young could empathize. In a way, it wasn't any different from what she, or what any of the 'S' class fighters had to deal with. There was always someone who wanted to make a name by beating one of the reigning champions.

Heck, even if she was In Gyi's best friend, she still wanted to beat her in the ring.

Moon Young wondered what that said about her, as a person.

"My," Jae Gu trailed off, wondering if it was really alright to admit what he was about to say, before he swallowed and decided to just go out and say it. "My dad used to say, 'A man can't live without a dream.' After he died, it felt like there wasn't any time for dreams. There was just so much I had to do, so much that I kept failing at." Jae Gu looked small at that moment. Moon Young felt that it wasn't right for someone to be that hunched over by the weight of the world. "He was right. I needed something to do, something to reach for," and with the moves of someone well accustomed to it, Jae Gu shrugged once more, and he straightened as though shedding the weight of the world, of the memories that dragged him down. "So I decided to do something to stop the fighting, to do something that would help make the gangs stop running around randomly: I entered the Monster Lord Tournament.

"I didn't want the title, or to take control or anything," he admitted. "The four major gangs at the time were the Dragons, the Slimes, the Foxes, and the Succubae. Their Queens, Granberia, Erubetie, Tamamo, and Alma Elma, didn't really do much to keep them in line. Those four always do what they want to do," Jae Gu smiled as he spoke, as he remembered fondly in retrospect what those times were like. "I just wanted to beat those four, and make them start keeping their subordinates in line. And I did. That was all I wanted to do. But afterwards, Alice stepped up, and even though she was my friend by then, she demanded that we fight to see who was stronger.

"I won."

"Wow," Moon Young finally responded, whistling softly. That wasn't quite the story she was expecting to hear, but now that she heard it she couldn't help but feel that it fit in with what she knew of Jae Gu's character. She could imagine it, having to deal with so much, and seeing others who had so much more than him taking it for granted. From what she had seen he had good instincts for fighting, and if he had been getting instruction from someone strong enough to take out even third year high schoolers since she started middle school, then yeah she could see him getting strong enough to pull off a story like that.

She could even imagine the final fight between him and Alice. The two would probably fight a lot alike, but in the end it would come down to Alice's age and experience in fighting to Jae Gu's own distinct advantage:

He was a man.

It wasn't sexist for her to admit that statistically speaking a man was generally larger and had better muscle mass than a woman. It was just biology, in the end. There were outliers, yeah: women like Granberia who could probably out muscle just about any guy she came across, or guys like the way Jae Gu looked, small and gentle even if he had proven that the look was just camouflage for the fierce fighter he actually was.

In the end though, if you pitted two fighters with similar experience and skill, one of them male and one of them female, far more often than not, the man would have the advantage physically.

Sometimes it was enough to make her jealous, but for the most part Moon Young preferred to just shrug it off and work harder. If she was gonna have a disadvantage because of her gender, she could just make up for it through practice and hard work.

"How brave," Dal Dal was also moved to the story, giving wide eyed adoration as the boy she had fallen for just kept getting better and better in her eyes. A noble crusader, seeking to bring peace to his neighborhood while punishing evil doers! A hero, riding nobly into the sunset on a white horse!

Well, a hero needed a princess, and she was certain she was talented, smart, beautiful, and modest enough to qualify for at least that!

In Gyi was silent. She had so much to think about that she could barely keep it straight in her head at this point. She resolved to spend however long it took tonight in the gym to put her thoughts in order.

Even though the others seemed impressed, Jae Gu just grimaced, and shook his head. "It was stupid," he corrected Dal Dal's assessment. "It was the dumbest thing I ever did, getting involved like that. I must have been insane to even think about it."

"Wait," Moon Young frowned at that. If she had managed to beat all her opponents, and then make it to the top of a tournament to show she was the strongest, she would take a lot more pride in it. "Why would you say something like that?"

The Queen sitting behind her was proof enough. Moon Young trained hard, hoping that this Wilds would be the one where she managed to achieve her dream of doing just that.

"Have you ever been in a street fight?" Jae Gu asked back, before realizing that his audience wouldn't understand with just that. "Not a match, or a spar or anything like that: I mean a genuine street fight. There aren't any rules, or referees. You don't have padding, or out of bounds, or rules against any kind of weapon. It doesn't end in just two or three rounds, or when the referee calls it or anything. A street fight doesn't stop until the winner stops hurting the loser, plain and simple. Even if someone goes down, that just puts them at the mercy of whoever they were fighting. Nothing is there to stop the winner from keeping up the attacks."

Moon Young grimaced, starting to get a picture of the difference between a match and a fight. Some of Granberia's words from earlier came back to her, and the boxer started to understand just what the Queen of Dragons had been talking about.

"You can get ambushed at any time, and by any number of people," Jae Gu continued. "There's nothing to stop someone else from sneaking up behind you and getting a shot at your back. Street fights are dangerous, way more dangerous than a fight in a ring. It doesn't matter how strong you are if you get caught off guard, or if the other side is willing to do anything to win. Anyone can get hurt in a street fight, and if you get hurt then it's likely that you're going to get hurt bad."

Jae Gu shook his head again, grimacing. "And what would happen to Jae Hyung or Jae Som if something like that happened to me? It's not like I have enough money to pay hospital bills, and if I got hurt bad enough that I couldn't work, then how would I have made enough to keep the two fed? What if one of the gangs had tried to hurt them to get to me?"

He shuddered at the thought. Most of the gangs never even found out his real name, seeing as Alice had always called him by his nickname. He supposed he should thank her for that, even if it meant that nearly all of Hellgondo honestly thought his name really was 'Luka', but that meant that the whole school just kept using that nickname, so that lowered his gratitude a lot.

But even though it had never gotten around Hellgondo, Illias had been another story…

He took a deep breath, unclenching his jaw and his fists.

He still didn't regret anything he had done then.

"Or what if the police had caught me in a street fight? What if they tried to send me to some reform school as well? What would have happened to the two then?" He forced himself to move past that thought. "Or even if the police just found out that we don't have any parents and they took them away just to put them in foster homes or something?"

"Alright," Moon Young held up her hand, hoping to calm the young man down. She had caught the way he had clenched his fist earlier, and could tell he was getting himself worked out. "We get it," she told him soothingly. He gave a jerky nod, and Moon Young had no problem believing his earlier statement about being angry enough to start fighting whole gangs by himself.

"So what happened afterwards?" Dal Dal asked curiously. She'd noticed Jae Gu's internal dilemma too, but she remembered how he had calmed himself down so easily after the Queen's challenge and believed he'd be able to do so again. He'd told her himself that he was good at calming himself down, and she had faith in her beloved Jae Gu! "Didn't that fox girl say something about 'leading to a golden age of delinquency' or something?"

Jae Gu scowled briefly. "Illias Preparatory was what happened next." The name sounded familiar to Moon Young, but it meant something a lot more to In Gyi. She remembered when she had been choosing between high schools that there had been one option with that name. She had chosen Wilds because at the time there had been some rumors going on with the preparatory, and because the Wilds League had caught her interest.

"What's that?" Dal Dal artlessly asked.

"Illias Preparatory is a prestigious catholic all girl ladder school, located in the same area as Hellgondo," Jae Gu explained for her. "They have a strong religious history, and were longtime enemies with the reform Hellgondo ladder. At the time, the granddaughter of the current director had started some kind of 'anti-delinquent' campaign. She had managed to get a lot of her classmates to join, and they had some plan to reform Hellgondo by force. She even had got some of the teachers to help too."

"Reform by force?" Moon Young repeated, not quite sure how something like that worked. Sure, she had some idea, but it seemed a little extreme.

"Too put them all into the hospital," Jae Gu explained. "Some of the Illias girls were pretty strong too. They managed to ambush Alice first, and even if she got away she was still hurt bad enough that she wasn't able to fight for weeks."

"The snake woman?" In Gyi asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion. She hadn't seen Alice fight yet, but she had seen Jae Gu, and unless the gap between them was larger than she had expected she had thought that the Monster Lord would be stronger than to be put down by a simple ambush.

"Anyone can get hurt in a street fight," Jae Gu repeated grimly. "No matter how tough they are, if there are enough on the other side, if even one or two of them get a lucky shot in, then things can get serious fast."

It had been a sobering experience, back then, realizing that even Alice, who had always seemed so invincible even after he had beaten her in a fight, could get hurt so badly. It was an equally sobering realization that even if he had gotten strong too, he could end up like that too if he wasn't careful.

"With Alice out, Illias started hunting down the other delinquents, and things started to get bad for Hellgondo," Jae Gu continued. "At first I was happy. I thought that with someone else helping I wouldn't have to put up with any more fights. But then I found out what they were doing." Jae Gu scowled. "What was going on was even worse than what the delinquents had been doing! Even when two gangs fight there's usually some restraint on the winner. A sort of unspoken code: you can rough up the loser, but you don't go too far because some day it might be you who are the loser. I guess you can call it professional courtesy or something like that. But the Illias students didn't have that. They'd say something like 'since they're delinquents, it's okay to do whatever we want'. People were starting to get severely hurt, and a few of the girls that they ambushed were in the hospital for months. Some of them almost died."

"I'd heard about stuff like that before," Moon Young muttered. Situations where people who thought they had the moral high ground resorting to unreasonable violence. She was pretty sure that there was some kind of fancy name for it, but she had no idea what that was.

For Jae Gu, just remembering it was enough to make him scowl again. It was the exact same situation that had made him so angry before, even if the victims were reversed. Here again, people who should have everything they wanted, who should be happy with all the freedom they enjoyed, and again they were going out of their way to cause trouble for everyone else!

"Even if I had been fighting them before, I felt responsible for the Hellgondo students," Jae Gu admitted. "I had even won their tournament, so I was sort of an unofficial member of the school, and even if we had been fighting I was sort of friends with some of them as well." It was the weird kind of camaraderie that came from fighting someone, but it was still camaraderie. He had ended on good terms with many of the Queens he had faced off with, especially the Heavenly Knights. "So I started helping the Hellgondo students. If a gang got in trouble and called, I would come give them a hand. The Heavenly Knights started helping me out too, and soon it reached a stalemate between Hellgondo and Illias."

"What happened then?" Dal Dal prompted, staring with wide eyes. The whole story was starting to sound like something she would find on TV in a soap or something!"

"Eventually, someone from Illias found out about my siblings, and they tried to do something stupid," Jae Gu said, his tone grim. "But when they did, they found out that Alice had gotten better and had been keeping an eye on them for me. When I found out about that, well, I kind of snapped again."

Hellgondo students weren't the only ones who had ended up nearly dying by the time he was finished. No one touched his siblings. No one.

"With Alice back, the four Heavenly Knights working together instead of just leading their own gangs, and me pitching in as well, Illias started to lose more and more often. The gangs were all starting to work together, and the granddaughter of the director had to have her fellow students move in bigger and bigger groups in order to be able to keep up with the Hellgondo students. Finally, it got the point where there was one last enormous fight."

"And Hellgondo won?" Moon Young prompted, pursing her lips as she tried to picture the fight as some sort of epic battle to decide the fate of two schools. It was kind of cool, when she let herself think about it.

"Actually, no one won," Jae Gu smiled sheepishly. "The fight was so big that the police were naturally called in to break it up. The Hellgondo students were delinquents, so the moment the cops arrived all of them knew to break and run. The Illias students didn't realize that they had to get away first so they can fight again another day, and most of them were picked up. Then, when the police were trying to get answers about the fight, the Hellgondo students that had been caught new better than to talk too much about being in gangs. A lot of the Illias students weren't as used to dealing with the police, and ended up blabbing about what they had been up to. They even ended up giving up names about other classmates that hadn't been caught!"

Jae Gu couldn't suppress a small smile at the thought. At last, all the students who had been running around impudently doing as they pleased were suddenly forced to face the cold uncaring consequences of their actions. In his eyes, it was even better than just beating them up.

"It nearly became a huge scandal. Parents were involved, and the media started to get word that a distinguished school like Illias Preparatory was actually place for delinquent ruffians, and that the whole school was in one big gang that was stirring up trouble, and that the faculty had actually been supporting and helping the gang. The president had to pull strings and use a lot of connections from keeping the news from spreading, especially when word got out that his own granddaughter wasn't just involved, but had been leading the whole thing." Jae Gu remembered actually being surprised at how quickly everything settled down. "Teachers who were involved were fired, students were pulled and sent to different schools, and even the granddaughter ended up being shipped out in order to keep her from stirring up trouble. In the end, the whole thing just sort of fizzled out."

"Huh," Moon Young grunted at that, scratching her head. "That's kind of anticlimactic." She could understand why it happened, but for a grand story of a war between schools to end in such a mundane way was kind of disappointing.

"Well, that's how it went," Jae Gu offered her a small shrug, not caring if the end of the most dangerous time of his life ended in an unsatisfactory way. Just as long as it ended, that was enough for him. "At that point, most of the Hellgondo gangs had actually started working together. Most old grudges had already been settled. Alice and the Heavenly Knights had been working together so much that they had effectively become their own gang, even if they Knights were still technically leaders of their own ones. I had personally helped out so many of the gangs that just about none of them would target me anymore, and I was able to safely leave the whole thing behind."

Jae Gu was never sure if he regretted that part of his life or not. On one hand, it had put himself in danger, a danger that affected both directly and indirectly the safety of his siblings. There had been so many close calls, so many dangerous situations, and it had made nearly two years of his middle school life seem almost surreal in his memory.

On the other hand, despite the stupidity of it, he didn't know how he would have turned out if it hadn't happened. He had been confused and angry, even if he didn't the admit the latter to himself before the fighting began. He hadn't known what to do with himself, had been drifting in confusion as he tried to make sense of a suddenly strange and hostile world.

In the end, his father had been right: a man really couldn't live without a dream. If he hadn't had that distant goal to make the heavenly Knights bring their subordinates in line, and then of making Illias Preparatory stop their crusade, he probably would have just kept drifting however the world pushed him even to this day.

"So that's how it went," Moon Young was surprised by how cliché the situation really was, though she almost felt like laughing now that the mystery surrounding her underclassman had been cleared up. Really, getting involved in a bad crowd, getting up to some shady things, only to retire afterwards to look after a couple of kids? It was such a typical story of a reformed delinquent moving on in life! And it was even funnier because Jae Gu had done the whole thing even before he made it to High School!

"So cool! Jae Gu, you're so brave!" Dal Dal gushed, holding herself as she tried to hold back some girlish wiggling. Brave enough to face the world, strong enough to stop his enemies, noble enough to help his friends, kind enough to stop his adventures to look after his siblings: a strong man with a dark past! All the story lacked was romance, and that was where she came in!

Well, where she would come in shortly. Jae Gu still had to come to realize that his current girlfriend wasn't the love of his life like she was. Or that other man stealer, Alma Elma. Alice might get to stay as a friend, but that one had to go.

"The nerve of that slut," she muttered, glowering darkly to the side as her thoughts wandered to the way that girl had tried to play head games with her.

"Alma Elma?" Jae Gu wasn't quite what Dal Dal was talking about, but considering her choice of words he thought he could make a good guess. "What did she do?"

He could also guess, but maybe someday he'd be wrong with that guess.

"She acted like she was hitting on the pinky earlier to mess with her," Moon Young supplied, snorting in amusement and only too happy to embarrass her rival. "Heck, I guess the whole 'flasher' thing she had going for her makes sense, with your story and all. If street fights are really as dangerous as you're building them up to be, than maybe showing a little skin to get an edge might be worth it."

"Er," Jae Gu began, looking to the side briefly. "Um, about that." He gave Dal Dal a brief sideways look. "She probably wasn't hitting on you just to mess with you."

"Eh?" Dal Dal blinked, not quite sure what he was getting at, but feeling a little chill go down her spine for some reason. "Then why would she do something so ridiculous!"

"That is…" Jae Gu trailed off, flushing slightly as he scratched his cheek. "Well, she is the leader of a gang called the 'Succubae'…" he offered slowly, hoping his Sunbae would get the hint. Normally, he wouldn't go out of his way to interfere with Alma Elma's fun, but Dal Dal-Sunbae was starting to be something like a friend, so he felt it fair to give her fair warning.

"What does…" Moon Young began, scratching her own head for a moment, before her eyes widened and the bike she was still on wobbled dangerously. In Gyi nearly fell, but managed to keep herself seated. The Queen gave a silent glare at the boxer, but it faded out quickly as she returned to her thoughts. "You mean?" Moon Young asked him, not sure if she was appalled at the implications, or if she should find it hilarious.

"Uh, yeah," Jae Gu was glad someone had the ability to pick up a hint.

"What are you two talking about?" Dal Dal once more proved that she wasn't counted in that particular group of people. She was starting to get angry with the two for talking over her head, both figuratively and literally. Jae Gu sighed, and decided to follow Moon Young's lead and screw subtlety.

"Alma Elma is bisexual," he told Dal Dal straight up.

"And what does that have to do with anythi… oh." Dal Dal started her sentence frustrated and ended it with an 'eep'. "But… does that mean…"

"Yes," Jae Gu nodded solemnly at his Sunbae. Again, he didn't feel that he really had to ask for any clarification about what Dal Dal was trying to say. Since it dealt with Alma, pretty much conclusion to the sentence would probably be right.

"But…" Dal Dal suddenly felt very dizzy. Another girl… and she was… on her… "But I don't like girls!"

She had half shouted that last sentence, hoping that Jae Gu wouldn't get the wrong idea about her. Even if another girl was attracted to her, she didn't want him thinking even for a second that there was anyone but him who she had eyes on.

When Jae Gu stopped for the first time that conversation, and turned to look at her, she felt the flicker of hope that her impassioned words had reached the object of her affection. When he put his hand gently on her shoulder, she had wild visions of him being so moved as to share a kiss with her.

Then he spoke.

"That's what her last five girlfriends said," he told her gravely. This time Dal Dal got the implication of his words much quicker.

"Ah…" she looked around for help, only to find that In Gyi had been ignoring the conversation completely in order to focus on her thoughts, and that Moon Young was trying to smother a fit of laughter with her hands with about as much success as Tamamo had had earlier.

'Maybe Mom will know what to do?' she thought to herself hopefully.

*Scene Break*

It was later that night when Jae Gu made it home, this time at a more familiar hour. His Sunbae had left him after they had walked him to work, each of them looking like they had things to think about, which didn't surprise him.

Sometimes he had trouble swallowing some of the things he had done in the past. There should be a limit to what a person has to endure in life, after all.

Despite his inner musing, he wasn't quite sure what to expect when he made it home. After Alice and the Knights' dramatic challenge, he figured that at least one of them would be waiting for him, maybe all of them.

However, when he looked around the dark room carefully, leaving the lights off to avoid disturbing the twins, the one thing he wasn't expecting to find was the great big lump beneath the blanket sitting next to where his siblings were innocently sleeping.

It wasn't until he shut the door behind him, and he saw the lump jerk at the sound and heard a soft high pitched gasp, that he realized the lump was actually his girlfriend hiding under a blanket and jumping at every small sound.

"Did the twins make you watch scary movies again, Alice?" he asked softly, not getting closer until he was sure his girlfriend had recognized him.

You did not disturb Alice when she was like this, not without suffering dire consequences.

"It's alright," he continued soothingly, still not moving. "There's no such thing as ghosts…"

"Of course there isn't," he made out the soft response. "Ghosts. So unscientific. How unreasonable. The delusions of gullible fools with too much time on their hands." At the end of the sentence, he could make out the way the edge of the blanket was lifted slowly to reveal Alice's face. Even in the dark, he could make out her baleful glare as her eyes darted around to ascertain that yes, the one speaking really was her boyfriend and not some kind of vengeful spirit. "And zombies. Honestly. How foolish. What a ridiculous concept. Zombies."

"That's right," Jae Gu knew from experience that it was now safe to move. Once she could see the source, creaking floorboards no longer had the risk of setting her off. "They don't really exist, so there's no reason to be scared…"

"Scared?" she demanded, voice rising, before she paused, taking a glance at the still sleeping twins. Once she confirmed that they would remain that way, she resumed at a more reasonable tone for the hour. "Me scared? Of imaginary things? Impossible! The only thing I fear is hunger!"

"Of course," Jae Gu made his way to the fridge, and was unsurprised when once again he found a full shopping bag in there. "Why don't I make you something to eat?"

"Hmph," Alice grunted, still under her blanket. "Something spicy," she demanded petulantly.

Even as he moved to fulfill his girlfriend's wish, Jae Gu found himself smiling. It was scenes like these that he didn't think anyone but him had ever seen, or would ever see for that matter.

He wondered what the delinquent underbelly of the city would ever say if they knew just how easily their Monster Lord was spooked by scary movies? For such a strong fighter, no matter how fearless she was in the face of upcoming fights or violence on the street, put her in the dark and turn on a horror movie and she turned into such a scaredy cat.

Still, he hummed softly as he worked as quietly as he could, finding that Alice had already prepared for her request by supplying the ingredients for a hot meal. He was preparing to remove add the ingredients to the skillet when his elbow bumped into something. With the ease of long practice he looked to confirm that yes, his girlfriend had finally abandoned her hiding place under the sheets, and was now standing close enough that he would have to be careful not to run into her while cooking.

"You're the one whose standing too close to me, got it?" she told him flatly, already knowing what he was opening his mouth to say. She always tried to stay as close to him as possible after she had gotten spooked. Her eyes flicked around the room, watching the dark corners carefully, as though checking to make sure nothing was sneaking up on her from them. "Honestly, you should back up and give me room. Are you really that sad, that you can't stand to be further away from me? How shameless. Pathetic."

"Of course, Alice," he reassured her, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she searched his face for any sign of condescension at her still being uneasy. She didn't find any, Jae Gu was sure of that since he had worked hard on never displaying how adorable he found her when she got like this. She probably still suspected though, and he had to endure the rest of the preparation with her periodically elbowing his hands while he was trying to mix or add ingredients, causing him to spill them periodically.

"So clumsy," she would mutter after each fumble. "How embarrassing! Always dropping things…"

With a good natured, albeit carefully concealed smile, he let his girlfriend distract herself from whatever horror movie the twins had forced her to endure. He didn't mind her closeness at all, truthfully.

It wasn't until he had finished the quick meal, and had made a plate for himself and her to eat outside in the warming spring air, that she had finally settled down enough to do anything else but pick on him as a distraction.

"Luka," Alice finally began, putting down a plate that had only minutes ago been heaped high with their midnight meal. "We need to talk."

"Talk?" Jae Gu repeated, somewhat alarmed by her chosen words. He had heard that it never did a guy good to hear their girlfriends use that word. A glance to the side revealed that Alice looked unusually somber, even for her. Nervously, he prompted her to continue. "What about?"

"The fight," Alice answered, and Jae Gu sighed in relief.

"There's nothing to worry about," he told her, taking another bite of his own dinner. "I already talked to the Sunbae, and the Director of the school is considering revoking the match. I should be able to get out of it soon."

Jae Gu expected Alice to nod, or maybe tease him a bit about being cowardly. However, he was surprised when her expression didn't change.

"I think you should do it," she told him, before stealing a bite of food off his plate. He scowled, both at the theft and at the words.

"Alice," he began slowly, hunching up to guard his food from his ravenous girlfriend. "We've been over this before: I just can't go around getting involved in shady business, not when…"

"This is different," Alice cut him off, speaking gently for her anyway. "This isn't like the Monster Lord tournament, or like Illias. Luka, this is a legal tournament, one that will be regulated and with safety measures in place. It is unlikely that anything will happen to you that will keep you from looking after your siblings."

"I thought you looked down on those kind of fights?" Jae Gu reminded her, though he was surprised at what she was telling him. "And besides," he added. "Just like before, you don't really need me. You already said that you and the Knights were going to join. Isn't that enough?"

"This isn't about destroying the upstart Queen," Alice told him, blinking slowly as she did so. She paused for a moment before correcting herself. "Not just about destroying a Queen," she amended. "This is about you, Luka, and what you need." She inclined her head slightly back to the room. "About what you can do for them, too."

"Alice," Jae Gu began, a hint of warning in his voice. She was his girlfriend, but if she was trying to manipulate him using those two, even that fact won't keep him from reminding her that those two were off limits.

"So fierce," she smiled her usual smile at him at his response, looking pleased. "But no, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?" he prompted her, relaxing slightly. He was even getting a bit curious now. It wasn't like her to push him when he was trying to avoid trouble. This morning, when she had basically begged him, by Alice standards anyway, to have a match was pretty unusual. She knew just how serious he was about trying to avoid fighting these days.

"You are strong, Luka," she told him evenly. "You didn't win our last fight by a fluke. Even if it could have gone either way, that just means you are at least as strong as me." She said it without a trace of either modesty about her own power or shame at her loss. It had been a close fight, after all, and he had almost lost several times before he finally managed to come out on top. "And there is nothing wrong with you using that strength."

"In a tournament?" Jae Gu cocked his head to the side, and Alice nodded again, before snatching another piece of his dinner. With a scowl, he started shoveling it into his mouth as fast as he could to keep her from taking any more.

"Why not?" Alice answered him, chewing the piece she had taken while watching him eat. "You have the strength, the experience, and the talent. Even if it's regulated, you should still have the skill level to win against most any opponent in a match like this. And if you win, there are rewards: the prize money, yes, but other things too. Fame and notoriety could get you far. Just look at this current Queen of the Wilds. Her victory has made her famous worldwide, with interviews, and challenges, even offers of endorsements."

"Endorsements?" Jae Gu repeated, surprised. He hadn't realized just how big the Wilds' League was, apparently. "But Alice, you're talking about doing something like this like it was a job or something…"

"That's right," she nodded. "After all, there are professionals for these kinds of things. Why not make use of the things you already have?"

"Professional?" Jae Gu muttered around a full mouth, and despite his hesitancy to get involved in this kind of stuff again, he found himself wondering to himself…

What if she was right?

He disliked fighting, but not because of any hatred for the act itself. He tried to avoid it whenever he could because he was worried about what it might mean for his family if he got hurt.

But if by fighting he could help Jae Hyung and Jae Som…

He shook his head to clear it, but despite himself the thought lingered. It was something he could at least think about, he supposed.

Still, he couldn't stop a small amused smile.

"That's another way you two are alike," he muttered mostly to himself. "Both of you just won't let me stop fighting."

"Both of you?" Alice repeated, one eyebrow raising as she gave a flat look at her boyfriend. Jae Gu shrugged, answering without really thinking about it.

"The Queen, In Gyi-Sunbae," he remarked offhand. "She reminds me of you, actually."

Any other boyfriend in the world would have never dreamed of saying something like that to their girlfriend. They would know that comparing their girlfriend to another girl was the fast way to not have that girlfriend anymore. Any other girlfriend in the world would have probably done just that.

That wasn't the case for the two though. Jae Gu and Alice's relation was in no way what anyone else in the world would call normal.

"Oh?" Alice, narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips briefly at the comparison. "Interesting."

There was no anger in her tone, no jealousy, not even any suspicion. She said the word as though she really did find the idea intriguing.

Afterwards, before the two went to sleep, she made sure that it was her name he gasped desperately into the night air, but that was also the norm for the two of them.


	8. Chapter 8

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's notes: and another chapter of the adventures of our misnamed hero in the estrogen jungle for you readers out there who've been waiting. With much of the backstory established, I now find myself drifting from my original aim to just write a fighting story and once more find myself unable to resist the silly little slice of life stuff that let's me play around with the Monster 5 as humans, or the Wilds' 3 as silly little girls._

_Again, my intentions have proven meaningless and I find actual plot starting to emerge! Oh woe is me!_

_Just a short little chapter, but not every chapter has to be a thirty pager, and short is good too sometimes._

_Hardest part of this chapter was naturally Han Gyul. He's just so tricky to write because he's a character which literally exists not as an antagonist but just to antagonize. Literally his only purpose in the original comic was to be an enormous bastard that Jae Gu could eventually take down in a dramatic reinvent himself type moment._

_So I found myself having to give him just a bit of character. The whole 'child of an abusive household that learned his bad behavior by trying to imitate his father and picks on the weak in a vain attempt to justify his mother's continued suffering' might be a bit cliche, but I kind of needed Han Gyul to have some sort of motivation for what he does._

_Mainly,a motivation for him continuously trying to antagonize Luka for later chapters, despite the fact that doing so is about as inherently dangerous as finding a sleeping tiger, sneaking up on it, and then burying your face in it's belly and motorboating. _

_And with that mental image, enjoy._

_*Story Start*_

Chapter Seven

Jang Hyo Jin had been a school teacher for quite some time. Earlier on in her career, she had preferred to take classes in the middle to high school range. She had been young, and full of vigor back then, always trying to fight against the system and help promote new initiatives and practices which would help educate the young minds that she felt she was responsible for. She had had a strong belief in reform, too, and had done her best to try and set many a child that had strayed down the wrong path aright.

That had lasted for nearly ten years, before she realized that if she had to deal with one more adolescent fight or relationship drama from two people who were far too young to be dating she was going to attack someone with a ruler.

It was stressful, especially in the city, dealing with all the shenanigans of the young: the gangs, the fights, the stress of peer pressure. There was always some child dressing outrageously, or acting up like they had seen on television. No matter how hard she tried, she never seemed to make a difference.

Things had been much simpler when she had been a student.

At least, that's what Hyo Jin told herself. It might have been selective memory, but that was what she chose to recall of her own wild youth.

Nowadays she preferred the elementary schools. It was so much simpler when they hadn't reached puberty yet. Her current class was a kindergarten one.

At last, she would be free of delinquents, with their shameful clothes and ridiculous antics!

At least, that was what she thought, anyway.

When she first heard the roar of a motorcycle approaching, she had 'tutted' to herself about loud vehicles and their disruptive noises. When the bike had gotten louder she had idly glanced outside to see just what could make such a thoughtless and intrusive noise.

When a fierce looking bike, which erupted with bursts of flame from the back actually pulled in to the school, she had found herself grimacing and hurrying outside.

She was supposed to be free of this kind of thing now!

"Excuse me," Hyo Jin called over the sound of the bike, shouting to be heard. "This is a school! What do you think…" the bike cut off, and she paused before continuing in a more reasonable voice. "What do you think you're doing!"

It was a teenager, she was sure of it, and she sighed to herself as she took in the disruptive looking outfit. Really, students who looked like this were always delinquents, always so rude…

"My apologies," the rider's voice came, and Hyo Jin actually blinked at the firm but polite tone. "In the future, I'll be sure to drop them off at the gate. I simply had to come in today to give the note."

"Note?" Hyo Jin repeated, feeling like she was missing something very important. "In the future?" Why on earth would this admittedly polite but still disreputable girl need to come back in the future?

'Wait,' she realized. 'Drop them off?'

"Now," the biker girl declared, dropping the stand on her bike and dismounting to reveal that yes, there were two children dressed in the uniform of the school sitting on the back. Hyo Jin was even surprised to realize that they both even had helmets similar to the one worn by the older girl on, though where biker helmets that small were made she would never know. "You two be good. You don't want to trouble Luka, now would you?"

"Yes, noona, unni," the two children chirped, and Hyo Jin recognized them as the Song twins. The two were actually strapped to the back of the bike in what looked like improvised seat belts.

"Good," the biker nodded, helping the two pull off their helmets and dismount. Hyo Jin found herself moving to help lower the two to the ground, feeling oddly dazed at the surreal situation. "Now," the biker declared, pulling off her own helmet to reveal a somber faced redhead and turning to the confused teacher. "I have a note from their brother explaining the situation and giving permission for me and a few other friends of the family to drop them off and pick them up when required. Where precisely is the principal's office?"

Jang Hyo Jin had the sinking suspicion that her escape from dealing with outrageous teenagers was coming to a regrettable end.

*Scene Break*

Moon Young wasn't afraid to admit to herself that she had no idea quite how to approach Jae Gu the next day at school. It was a puzzle she spent more attention on then schoolwork for most of the day, truth be told.

She had spent a lot of time last night at her family's gym, working over the punching bag. Her father had complimented her on her dedication, but honestly it was just something to do while she worked out her thoughts. There was just so much to think about, and honestly she had no idea what to make of the bizarre situation she had stumbled upon.

Jae Gu, the cute underclassman that she had been trying to tempt into joining the boxing club and keep an eye out for apparently didn't need nearly as much supervision as she had initially thought. If the story that he and those Hellgondo girls had told were true, then it was entirely possible that not only did Jae Gu not need her protection or any training on how to defend himself, he might actually be as good a fighter as she was!

"So now what do I do?" Moon Young muttered to herself, idly plucking at the hem of her track suit as she made her way to the boxing club at the end of the day. "Do I challenge him to a match or something?" That was the typical way that Moon Young interacted with other fighters her age: quickly engage them in battle to determine their relative strength, and then either train to beat them or periodically antagonize them until the next match gets arranged through some method.

It worked that way with Dal Dal and the Queen, after all. Though come to think of it, did Dal Dal even qualify as a friend?

"Maybe I should approach things from the other end," she hummed, deciding that just maybe she try a different route if she wanted to get closer to Jae Gu. "Maybe I'm supposed to give him my number and tell him if he ever gets ambushed he can call me? That's the way it works in movies…"

Moon Young sighed, before deciding that maybe that wouldn't be the best option either. It wasn't like she was allowed to get into fights on the streets, seeing as Wilds had a zero tolerance position when it came to non-regulated violence.

"Ugh!" she finally reached up, ruffling her hair as she groaned. "This is hard! Who knew talking to an ex-delinquent boy classmate could be so frustrating!"

"What's frustrating, Sunbae?" a voice called out to her from behind, and she answered it without thinking.

"Trying to find a way to talk to Song Jae Gu," she grumbled, frowning as she continued to walk through the hallway. "I just can't think of any way to break the ice!" She frowned and stuck her hands into her pockets as she slumped. "Punching things is way easier than this kind of crap."

"Er," the voice began, sounding hesitant. "But Sunbae, I'm right here."

Moon Young froze, turning slowly to face her conversation partner and realizing that yes, it really was Wilds' only boy. He looked confused, pointing up at himself as though to indicate that he was who he claimed he was.

"Er," Moon Young gulped back, flushing slightly as she tried to find some way to respond that wouldn't make her look like an idiot. Finally, she mechanically crossed her arms, forced a laugh, and decided to just pretend the last few minutes hadn't happened at all. "Oh! Jae Gu! Imagine running into you here! Good to see you!"

"Yes," he responded slowly, giving her an odd look. Moon Young tried not to sweat, and eventually he shrugged, and decided to let the issue lay. "So was there something you wanted to talk about…?"

"Ah, nothing in particular," Moon Young admitted, feeling slightly relieved that he wasn't going to make an issue out of her slip. "I suppose I was just wondering how you were doing. Yesterday didn't cause you any problems, did it?" Moon Young started walking again, and was relieved when her underclassman fell into step with her. It made her happy that he seemed so at ease with her, considering how most of the time when he was talking to his classmates it looked like he was getting ready to bolt. "Oh," she perked slightly, remembering something. "And how are your cute little siblings?"

"Oh, no," Jae Gu told her, smiling slightly. "I was able to make it to work on time." He paused, remembering something that caused the smile to slip as he sighed. "Though I wasn't able to talk the president out of the match with In Gyi Sunbae." Moon Young bit her lip slightly at the reminder of the upcoming match. Still, she was surprised when Jae Gu didn't seem nearly as depressed as he had earlier about the upcoming fight. If anything, he actually looked thoughtful. "And Jae Som and Jae Hyung are fine: Alice dropped by last night to watch them."

"Your girlfriend did, eh?" Moon Young scowled slightly at the mention of the delinquent girl. "Strange," she muttered, giving Jae Gu a careful look out of the corner of her eyes. "She didn't really seem the type to be, well, that good with kids."

Moon Young felt she was getting better with this whole 'subtlety' thing. After all, she had managed to avoid saying what she really meant, as in, 'That girl doesn't look like she should be let within a hundred yards of anyone, much less a child'.

"She's not the best at things like chores," Jae Gu admitted, recalling the mess of dishes that usually accompanied any attempt by the Monster Lord to cook. "But the two adore her. She's been looking after them for a while now, after all."

Moon Young snorted, recalling just how it was that Alice had treated her underclassman the day before. "She doesn't treat them like she does you, then?" she asked, and patted herself on the back as yet again she refrained from saying what she really meant: Why the hell are you dating someone who treats you like trash?

"Oh, no!" Jae Gu frantically shook his head, and Moon Young realized that he was blushing slightly. She had no idea what that expression implied, but she had the distinct impression that she would most likely be disturbed if she did. "No, Alice is really good around them. All the Heavenly Knights are, actually."

"You have your gang babysit your siblings?" Moon Young felt distinctly odd asking something like that. If you had asked her a few days ago about what would make suitable criteria someone would look for in a babysitter, being a delinquent would have been pretty far down the list. As in, on a whole other list of 'things not to look for'. "Are you an idiot or something?"

'And there goes my subtle streak,' Moon Young realized after a second, and felt like smacking herself on the forehead. She had been doing so well too!

"Well, yeah," Jae Gu admitted, scratching his head and looking away in embarrassment, apparently unoffended by her last comment. Considering what his girlfriend called him he might not have even noticed. "But they all do pretty good at it, actually. Well, some better than others," he frowned slightly, "but on the other hand, they volunteer for it. And do you have any idea how much babysitters cost otherwise?"

"Oh," Moon Young grimaced, realizing that she had been skirting a landmine without even realizing it. Yeah, in his situation beggars really couldn't be choosers. She supposed that if you trusted someone enough to watch your back in a street fight it wasn't that odd to trust them to look after your siblings. "So," she cleared her throat, giving her underclassman a brief look and a grin. "So what can I do for you then, Jae Gu? Don't you usually head to work when class is done?"

"Actually," Jae Gu looked awkward for a moment. "Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about." Moon Young's eyebrow lifted, curious. "Is there, er, somewhere we can talk privately?"

Her other eyebrow shot up at that. "Privately?" she asked cautiously.

Moon Young had always had a rather vivid imagination. In her imagination, a picture appeared. It had a picture of her and Jae Gu, alone in a dark classroom. Then the image disappeared, and a bit of dialogue appeared, like in the old silent movies. The dialogue read 'Sunbae, the thing is…" A new picture, this one with Jae Gu looking as though he had grabbed her hand, leaning in with a blush. The next bit of dialogue proclaimed 'I like you! You have to help me get away from my evil girlfriend! She makes me do terrible things!' It was followed closely by a picture of Moon Young beaming at him, still holding his hand but with her other arm around his shoulders. The new caption went 'Of course! Here, let your Sunbae teach you the Dampsey Roll…"

"Sure," she said out loud, grinning at the nervous boy. "Follow me!"

*Scene Break*

"Hmmm," Dal Dal hummed to herself, skipping as she prowled the hallway. "Now, how to approach Jae Gu?"

It was just so tricky, going to meet your future boyfriend! Should she approach from the front, so he could watch his future beau skipping to meet him? Or maybe from the back, so she could surprise him from behind, maybe by covering his eyes, or a surprise hug even. Some decisions were quite tough, even for a marvelous and wonderful girl like herself.

And besides the physical approach, there was also her mental approach as well. This one, at least, she had a firm plan for:

Any approach which would reiterate to him that yes, she preferred him, and no, she did not like girls at all like that!

"According to Mom, I just have to be polite, tell them that I'm not interested, and then leave, very quickly," Dal Dal nodded to herself, confident that this plan would be optimal for both assuring her future man that she wasn't like that, as well as helping to shut down the other girl with minimal effort and maximum grace.

"Oh, I should have seen this coming a long time ago," she continued humming to herself, still skipping merrily. "Someone as cute as me, it should be obvious that even girls who are like that would be interested. Oh, the burdens of being adorable."

And really, maybe all these years she had been underestimating her mother's wisdom and compassion. Why, when she had burst in last night and asked her mom how to deal with bisexual street fighting delinquent admirers, she had been so moved with compassion for her daughter that she had shed tears!

Still, it was proving harder to find her Jae Gu then she had anticipated. She had been all over the school at this point, starting at the Tae Kwon Do Club and working her way down and she still hadn't found him.

It was getting a little tiring to skip for this long, but she wanted his first sight of her to be one of cheer and good…

She idly glanced into one of the empty classrooms and froze.

"That Piggy!" she growled softly, as she was confronted with the sight of a blushing Jae Gu standing in front of a surprised and flustered Moon Young. "How dare she interfere with another's romance!"

Two students alone in a classroom, one a boy the other girl, after class is done. It could only be one thing: Moon Young was trying to put the moves on her future boyfriend!

"People who interfere in other people's romance are the worst," she muttered, before realizing that Jae Gu was about to turn and look out into the hallway. Hastily, she ducked low, putting herself below the windows opening out to the hallway. "What are they talking about…"

Slowly, she lifted her head until she could see into the classroom, keeping herself low as she did so. She saw that Jae Gu had turned back to Moon Young, and now the boxer seemed contemplative, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she did so with Jae Gu bowing in response.

"Good!" she interpreted the scene using her keen personal insight. "He must have turned her down, and now she's acknowledging that his future love is me."

Slowly, she inched to the door, and with great care she cracked it open so that she could listen in.

"Well, if that's what you want," she managed to make out Moon Young. "I suppose that's fine."

"Ha!" Dal Dal muttered to herself, clenching a fist as she celebrated the faithfulness of her man. "Take that Piggy! As if…"

"So then tomorrow, after school?" Jae Gu asked, sounding relieved. Dal Dal blinked at the statement, trailing off. Surely, surely Jae Gu wasn't actually considering going out with the Piggy!

"Sure," Moon Young declared, sounding cheerful. "This is fine too."

"This is fine too?" Jae Gu repeated, sounding confused as Dal Dal felt. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind," Moon Young sounded slightly embarrassed. "Just show up tomorrow, and we can get started."

"Okay," Jae Gu sounded relieved. "I'll make the arrangements. Thanks again, Sunbae."

"No prob!" Moon Young laughed. "Now, don't you have to be getting to work?"

"What are the two of them talking about?" Dal Dal finally muttered, now feeling completely lost about what the two of them were discussing. It didn't sound like lovey-dovey talk.

"Er, Dal Dal Sunbae?" Jae Gu's voice came from above, and was very near, causing Dal Dal to jump, losing her balance and sprawling on her butt. She looked up to find that her future love had opened the door to apparently leave, and was now looking at her in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Er, hi!" she finally settled on, smiling sheepishly.

She felt like smacking her forehead. She'd never thought about approaching from below. She wasn't prepared for this angle! Curse her lack of foresight!

*Scene Break*

When In Gyi saw Jae Gu, she realized with a sudden flutter in her stomach that she hadn't even given a thought as to how to approach him after everything that had happened, and if she was the type to engage in slapstick she would have smacked herself on her forehead at the lapse.

So, with nothing planned, she decided that not approaching would make an acceptable course, and promptly slid to the side until most of her body was concealed by the edge of the wall which surrounded Wilds High.

'What do I do?' her inner maiden began to wail, tugging at her imaginary hair as she did so. 'I'm not prepared for this!'

It wasn't her fault she hadn't really thought about how to face Jae Gu. She'd had so much to think about last night, that she had stayed up for most of the night in her gym, finding solace in her punching bag.

She had inadvertently ended up starting an inter school fight with the delinquent capital of the city. She had provoked a gang of experienced street fighters into entering the Wilds League in order to target her. The boy that had praised her had been in a gang war, and ended up joining a gang in middle school. He was the unofficial leader of the entire delinquent population of the city, though he didn't really lead them per say. He was also an experienced and skilled fighter, a veteran of brutal street fights to the point where he could demolish an experienced professional fighter like Hye Shin in only three moves.

And she really, really, completely and truly despised the boy's girlfriend as well. That had been one of the key elements to just how long she had been at her punching bag last night. It was so she could imagine that Alice, no, that snake woman's face on it as she drove her fist and legs into it for hours on end.

It had been immensely therapeutic for some reason.

After she had finally worked off enough steam to sleep, she had gotten up late and had to take care of some family business during the day. She had honestly thought about just not coming into school today at all, but had felt a flutter at the thought of running into Jae Gu, even if it was only for a period or two.

But now that she was here, she couldn't think of anything to do! Oh, why hadn't she thought about THAT last night instead of how much fun it would be to beat the snake woman inside out?

She could just make out Song Jae Gu's voice as he talked with someone, an older woman. She realized that whoever they were, they were holding the hands of both of Jae Gu's adorable siblings.

"Because of that," the older woman began, "I just wanted to confirm whether the note was real or not. I'm sure you can understand our caution," she hastily continued, sounding inexplicably nervous. "While the note was clear, you can understand how, er, unusual having someone like that drop off these two was. We just want to ensure that everything is alright…"

"It's fine," Jae Gu told the woman, and the butterfly/snake campaign that had started in her stomach ever since she had met Jae Gu and he had called her a monster launched the latest battle. "I can understand that Granberia is a little odd, but she really is a trusted friend of the family. And since the bus driver is always late, it's just much easier to ask her to drop them off than risk being late for school myself."

'Granberia, Granberia,' In Gyi repeated the name in her head, trying to remember which one that was. 'That was the biker girl, wasn't it?'

"Oh," the other lady said, sounding rather unhappy at the assurance. "Er, why I can understand how that might be an inconvenience, er, are you sure…"

"Yes," Jae Gu reassured the other lady, sounding slightly aggrieved at this point. In Gyi narrowed her eyes at the woman. Just who was this lady making Jae Gu repeat himself? It didn't look like he was pleased with the way the other woman was talking about the biker girl. "I trust Granberia to look after my siblings."

"Well," the older woman continued, braving on despite the fact that the conversation appeared to not be going in her favor. "Isn't there anyone else you can have help with your siblings? I'm sure you parents are quite busy, but surely your mother…"

"I don't have a mother," Jae Gu cut the other woman off, and In Gyi took a slight breath at the sudden flat tone which the boy had taken. She watched him carefully from around the corner, peeking as best she could. He looked… rather unhappy at that moment. Then he seemed to relax, and he smiled at the other woman. "But I can understand why you wouldn't want Granberia to come. Her bike is quite loud. I'll tell you what. I need her to drop them off, because she's the only one I know with a driver's license. But I can ask one of my other friends to pick them up if I need them too."

"Oh, well that's fine," the woman seemed relieved. She also seemed to realize that she had been slightly rude with her insistence. "Just as long as they're not quite as, er, disreputable as the other girl. I'm sure you understand…"

"Of course," Jae Gu smiled at her. "I'll ask Alma Elma to do it. She's completely different from Granberia."

'Alma Elma?' In Gyi repeated, and managed to put a face to that name much quicker. 'Wait, isn't she…"

In Gyi got the distinct impression that Jae Gu might be a little upset at the older woman's distaste for the biker girl.

She also got the distinct impression that Jae Gu could be quite spiteful when he felt like it.

Still, as the older lady bowed and left, leaving his two siblings with him, In Gyi couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she should be doing something.

Something besides hiding behind the edge of a wall, that is. This was the day after she had learned something important about the boy who had praised her! She had to do something, anything! She had to greet him, or talk to him about his past, or convince him that that snake woman was all wrong for him!

But HOW?

"Er, Miss?" she jumped slightly, and realized that she had been leaning so she could watch closer as Jae Gu took his brother and sister's hands and started to lead them away. She turned to see her chauffer, Driver Park, looking somewhat bemused as he stood behind her. He had parked the limo at the curb, and was now standing behind her looking somewhat perplexed at the situation. "We should probably get going…"

"Shhh!" she snapped at him, waving behind her to indicate that he should be quiet. How was she supposed to formulate a plan to approach Jae Gu when her driver was bothering her?

She had no choice! She would have to think up something, anything, so she could talk to Jae Gu today. Strike while the iron is hot, and all.

But until she could think of something to say, she would just have to follow him, making sure to stay out of sight.

In Gyi wondered just how much of herself she could fit behind a lamp post…

*Scene Break*

Kim Han Gyul was feeling pretty good about himself at this point.

And what wasn't to feel good about? He was a highschooler now! He was fitting in pretty well in Goo Ra, and had managed to do good for himself so far.

There were always three things you need to do when going to a new place. The first, was find someone to look out for you. The second was to find some real friends to watch your back. The third, was to find the ones that didn't have the first two.

Because those were the ones that you could get the most use out of.

Those three rules had stood Han Gyul well in middle school. He had managed to get in good with one of the older students for the first two years. It wasn't hard. Just smile, say what they wanted to hear, and don't be afraid to pay lip service whenever it was needed. Ingratiating was an art form, after all. You had to walk a thin line between being assertive enough to be interesting, but harmless enough to not be a threat. As long as you were interesting but harmless, then even if someone was tougher than you they wouldn't actually start anything. Hell, in Han Gyul's experience, they even started to get friendly with you!

That was the important part: that they like you, that they were your friends. Because if someone who was stronger than you thought you were a friend, than they'd keep the other strong people from screwing with you.

The second rule was more important than friends. Once you had someone tougher than you on your side, you were protected. After that, you needed someone like you to watch your back. After all, spending all your time sucking up to people was a hassle, important but annoying in the long run. If you were going to have fun, you needed someone who liked the same kinds of things as you, someone who thought the same way as you.

One was for protection. The other was the one that you actually liked hanging around with.

And finally, and this was almost as important as the first rule, you needed the guy who was too pathetic and stupid to have the other two around. Those were the ones you got to have fun with.

Han Gyul liked to think he knew how the world worked. You had the strong, and the weak. If you were strong, than you could do whatever you wanted to with the weak. And there wasn't a damn thing the weak could do about it.

His father had taught him that. He'd taught him that every time that old bastard had knocked down his mother, and it was only reinforced every time her mother claimed that she had fell down some stairs whenever anyone asked about the bruises, never even trying to fight back.

You know, at one point, Han Gyul had actually been mad about that kind of thing.

And then he had tried it for himself, and he realized something good.

Hurting other people was fun. It made him feel good inside, it made him smile. Now, Han Gyul had nothing but contempt for the weak. They would always be weak, simply because that's what they were. No amount of effort would ever change that.

It was fucking amazing, to see someone cowering at your feet. It was even better when they were red with anger or shame. And that was something Han Gyul liked as well: humiliation.

Not his, of course. No, he loved it when it was someone else feeling it, and he loved it more when he was the one that had caused it. Like the pants-less apology. God, every time he had forced some underclassman, or even an elementary school kid to drop their pants in an alley, the only thing keeping the world from seeing them on their knees and giving up their lunch money his good grace it made him grin, wide and hard. It was even better if he could make someone that knew them watch. Siblings were great for that, but also a friend, or even a girlfriend if you could arrange it.

By the time it was done, you could literally see the witness' disgust with the victim. You could see the way they had realized just how worthless their brother or boyfriend or whatever really was. You could almost pick the exact moment that they started to be disgusted by them.

Han Gyul loved that moment.

There were other tricks too, that he had been learning, but sometimes the classics were the best.

And so far, Han Gyul had been doing pretty well for himself. Goo Ra was a sports oriented school, and it hadn't been hard to find someone that he could suck up to. Hell, this time he had managed to find a freaking national level boxer to back him up! All it had taken was signing up for the boxing club, and already he had a guy like Li Mi Nam backing him.

Han Gyul was feeling so good, that he almost missed it.

He had been walking with his friends, not that straight laced Mi Nam, but his real friends: the ones who had no problem helping him threaten middle school kids for their money so that they could hit a PC café. He had been turned around to laugh at something one of his buddies had said, and only turned back to look forward just as the person walked past, a kindergarten brat on each hand.

Han Gyul almost passed the other boy by, but something about the guy nagged at him, and he found himself turning to watch the other boy's back as he tried to figure out why he was so familiar.

It was the hunched up stance that Han Gyul finally recognized, and when he did, he couldn't stop himself from smiling and calling out to the boy.

"Worker Song!" Han Gyul called, and he grinned a little more when the other boy paused, proving he had been right with his guess. "You are Worker Song, right?" he said, more to confirm to himself than anyone else.

"Hm?" Worker Song grunted, sounding part confused and part curious as he paused, stopping his little sister and brother as he glaned over his shoulder. "Um, do I know you?"

"Oh? You don't remember me?" Han Gyul smiled widely, his expression welcoming as he took in Song Jae Gu. It was important to smile, at times like this. People reacted to smiles. They relaxed at them. Smile at your Sunbae, and they'll like you.

Smile at your target, and they won't suspect anything until you're too close for them to get away.

"Man, we had such good times during our first year," Han Gyul continued, walking slowly towards Worker Song as he reminisced to himself. "Holy crap, what happened to you? Looks like you grew in the last few months!"

"Who's that?" he heard one of his friends mutter to the other, though he was starting to smile too, already suspecting what it was that Han Gyul was after.

"Some kid that got in to our old school on a worker's scholarship," the third member of Han Gyul's little entourage explained.

Even as Worker Song started to tentatively smile back, Han Gyul continued to reminisce.

After all, it wasn't often you came across the one that got away.

Han Gyul hadn't really fully come to understand how the world really worked back in his first year in middle school. Back then, he had still been gritting his teeth every time he heard the telltale sound of flesh hitting flesh, the short cry that meant his father and mother were 'discussing' things and he should make himself scarce before he and his dad 'discussed' things too. He had been a lot more angry, back then, and just seeing Worker Song had been rough on him:

His mother and that bent back kid, the one he had heard didn't have any parents at all. They reminded him of the other.

Han Gyul had started doing things to the kid, angry that there was someone who reminded him so much of the way his mom looked whenever his dad came home. He had just been so pissed that there were two people out there who looked so beat down.

He hadn't realized that that look was a good thing, a look that meant you had just found a target, until his second year in middle school. But back then, when he had really started to realize how the world worked, he hadn't really been able to try it out on Worker Song.

After all, the first rule was to keep the one that looked out for you happy.

Han Gyul honestly couldn't even remember what his Sunbae's name was, the one who had told him that Worker Song was off limits. He had been some gangster, some delinquent that had looked tough, proved himself tough, and then ended up not acting so tough for a while. He had been a delinquent, and Han Gyul didn't like delinquents. Too many hot headed bastards who wanted to go the hard way and get into too many fights for his tastes.

Who the hell actually wanted to fight? If the other person could fight back, that just messed everything up.

Still, Han Gyul had had to keep that old Sunbae happy, so he had backed off of Worker Song.

But now that Sunbae wasn't here. And Worker Song was.

Han Gyul didn't have much trouble faking an honest smile as he closed in on his prey.

He was happy, after all. If Worker Song had been a target back then, he would probably have screwed up breaking the other boy. Now though, now he had all the experience he would need to crush him.

"Which school are you going to?" Han Gyul continued, smiling pleasantly as he approached. "Is it nearby? I ended up at a Goo Ra!"

"Oh?" Worker Song perked up a bit at the name of his school for some reason, but beyond that he didn't react too much. "I'm sorry, you're approaching me so familiarly, but I'm having trouble remembering…"

"Man, that's a hell of a thing to say to a guy!" Han Gyul had trouble maintaining his smile at that blatant admission. Who the hell did this little shit think he was? It looked like he hadn't made a firm enough impression the first time. Oh well, he can change that shortly. Moving easily, Han Gyul began to drape his arm around the other boy's shoulder. It looked friendly enough, but once his arm was there he could start leading. Most people were uncomfortable, but willing to overlook it when someone used a friendly gesture like that. They didn't even notice that they were being led until they were in the alley and it was too late. "Come on! It's me, Kim Han Gyul! Let's go catch up…"

"Luka-oppa," the little girl brat whined, as Han Gyul forced her forward with his leg so he could get in close.

"Kim Han Gyul was it?" Worker Song gave him an apologetic smile, before pulling away from Han Gyul's arm before he could get it all the way around. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, but I'm afraid I have to be going. I have to get these two home and then get to work. Maybe we can catch up later. If you'd like maybe…?"

Well, the easy way usually worked, but sometimes you'd get times like this. If someone was too dumb shit stupid to realize the situation they were in, then it was usually best to make it clear quickly so you can get on to the good shit.

Han Gyul slapped the dumb fuck, quick and without warning. Worker Song's eyes widened in surprise and his head jerked minutely to the side at the blow, but then they narrowed as he studied the redhead in front of him more carefully.

"Oh yeah," he murmured to himself, and Han Gyul's smile turned to a sneer after the blow. "Now I remember you."

"Yeah, it's been a while since we got to pal around," Han Gyul was having trouble keeping himself from getting too excited. It looked like Worker Song finally realized the situation he was in, but by now it was too late. His friends were already at his side, the two of them grinning as much as he was as they got ready for the excitement that was about to come. Who knew how much cash this broke ass kid had, seeing as he had no parents or anything, but they were sure they'd find some way to make it worth their time. "Now, asshole, if you don't want your cute little brother and sister to get the same, why don't you…"

He had started to turn so that he could find a convenient alley, when it was his turn to get cut off. It felt as though someone had swung a baseball bat at him, and the blow caught him just off center on his throat. He had a moment where he only felt an extreme pressure, enough to send him sideways off his feet and stumbling into one of his friends as they both went down.

Then it was as though someone had torn his throat apart. His lungs ached as he tried to gasp for breath, but it hurt so much, nearly too much to breathe. He couldn't suppress a strangled cough, an action which only increased the agony, and something wet came out of his mouth, something red and warm that he caught sight of as it landed on his shirt and the ground he was hunched over.

'Blood?' his brain was only barely able to complete that thought, before it was too busy trying to find some way for air to reach his lungs before he blacked out.

"Touch me again," someone said, someone that sounded a lot like Worker Song but couldn't be. This voice was hard, and cold, and it made him freeze instinctively, "and I'll break your arm. Even think of touching my siblings, and it'll be your neck that's broken."

Than Han Gyul lost track of time as he tried to focus on just breathing. Slowly, the agony started to not so much as shrink as become something he was accustomed to enough to be able to breathe past.

He was aware that his friends were calling his name, but he barely heard them as he looked up, trying to see where Worker Song was, and whoever it was that had shown up out of nowhere to blindside him.

It had to be someone else, someone he hadn't seen. It couldn't have been Worker Song, after all. Not that pathetic weakling. There was no way someone like Song could ever do something like this to him. The weak didn't fight back! The weak didn't hurt the strong! The weak just cowered and accepted their miserable fucking lives!

But when he finally managed to look up, hissing for breath, he found Worker Song gone.

"That fuckwit!" he managed to rasp, and he ground his teeth in rage.

This wasn't over!

*Scene Break*

'This is starting to be something of a habit,' In Gyi thought to herself, as she panted for breath. In front of her the bag was swaying the force of her steady blows sending it wobbling. The moment she had made it home, she had come right here, as though couldn't wait for the solid 'thump, thump, thump' of the heartbeat of the gym to calm herself down.

'Thump.'

She had never had the chance to talk to Jae Gu today. She had even followed him, peeking out from behind walls and concealing herself behind lampposts or mailboxes. There had been a close second where her careless driver had pulled too far ahead, but in the end Jae Gu had never realized she was there.

'Thump.'

It was his fault, really, that she had had to do that! If he had just had the good grace to see her than she could have approached him directly. Really, what a rude boy, to make her skulk around like that!

'Thump.'

But it was because she had been skulking, that she had seen something.

'Thump.'

Something which made her nearly gasp, which had caused her to widen her eyes in shock.

'Thump.'

She didn't know who that redhead was, the one that had actually slapped her Jae Gu. Maybe some kind of delinquent…?

'Thump.'

She also didn't know what the redhead had said either. But whatever it was…

'Thump!'

She hadn't really thought about what it meant for Jae Gu to be in a gang, or to be one of the best fighters in the city's underage underground. She had seen him before, when he had the match with Hye Shin. She knew that he was taller, and that when he stood up straight and got fought he was a serious combatant.

'Thump!'

But the first time he had fought he had just been 'Jae Gu'. Quiet, a little shy, kind of cute… er, acutely withdrawn she meant! This time, when he had swung at the redhead and put him down before walking away without another word, his expression had been different.

'Thump!'

He had looked so cold, but paradoxically enraged. A vicious, frozen, unforgiving anger that had nearly caused her heart to skip a beat.

'Thump!'

In Gyi realized that after seeing that expression, she no longer had any doubt about the story that either that snake woman or he himself had told her.

'Thump.'

She was going to be thinking about that look long into the night, she just knew it. Stupid Jae Gu! When would he let her sleep! Er, sleep without interrupting her thoughts, not as in not letting her sleep because he was doing inappropriate things to her she meant!

'Whoosh!'

In Gyi let loose a distinctly out of character little yelp as her thoughts distracted her enough for her to miss the swaying bag on the next kick. The momentum spun her about until she lost her balance and she fell onto her backside with another uncharacteristic squeaking noise.

'Even when he isn't here, he's still making me embarrass myself!' her inner maiden cried out, blushing as she did so.


	9. Chapter 9

Monsters of the Wilds

_Author's Notes: So not much to say here, seeing as this is still a light hearted piece and not a sprawling epic, though I feel like I might be tempting fate by making that claim. Couple of real life issues are about to be resolved, and hopefully once they are I'll be able to return to the good old days when I could sit down and push out ten pages an hour without interruption. _

_Ah, you don't realize you miss it until it's gone..._

_Anyway, little bit of plot development, little bit of humor, mostly a chance to show off my humanized versions of the Heavenly Knights. Bit of light reading all around here._

_Though the scene with Erubetie kind of made me giggle a little. I have the impression that writing her is gonna be fun._

_*Story Start*_

Chapter Eight

Lee Go Seul hummed to herself as she made her way to school. Well, she tried to hum, but that was quickly interrupted with a tiny 'oof!' as she misjudged the distance between herself and the curb. It was a common mistake for her, at least in this situation.

When you were carrying that many weapons, it was difficult to manage all the metal and your limbs, much less see what was right in front of you!

"Maybe I should get a duffle bag or something?" she noted to herself, feeling silly to talk with no one around. "It would make things much simpler…"

Still, Go Seul resumed her humming a short bit after she gathered the enormous wooden case she stored her swords in. After all, she was in a good mood so humming was natural.

She was fitting in well in her school, after all. She was making all kinds of friends, and one of them was even a boy! Not only that, but she had managed to make her debut at the Wilds as well, and was doing well in her club.

Go Seul didn't like to think of herself as a simple girl. It just felt a little demeaning to call yourself simple. But she had no problem of thinking of herself as 'uncomplicated'. Uncomplicated was a fine way of putting it. She was going to school. She was meeting people and getting her classwork finished. She was having fun training with her sister and her friends. Maybe it wasn't the grandest or most ambitious way of living, but she was only fifteen, and just a freshman in high school.

What was wrong with being unambitious at this point in life?

Still, she had to admit to herself, still humming even as she pursed her lips. Even if she was just fine with the way things were going, she wouldn't mind it if maybe something exciting happened.

Like maybe if she ran into those Hellgondo students sometime!

It was so mysterious, the way her friend Jae Gu knew such dangerous people. And that they got along so well, despite how different they were. And Jae Gu was even dating one of them! His girlfriend, Alice, Go Seul thought her name was, was so pretty too! Even if it was a bit odd, they seemed to get along really well.

Which raised a question for Go Seul, actually.

Just what was the deal with Jae Gu and that one girl, the one she had fought before. What was her name? It was strange… Erubetie, that was it!

Now that Go Seul knew that it wasn't a matter of bullying, and that not only were they friends but that Erubetie actually considered Jae Gu to be stronger than her, she found the mystery of the strange smell to be just that much more mysterious. Just what did they get up to, Jae Gu and Erubetie, to cause such a foul odor to hang around both of them?

It was so peculiar that she could remember it distinctly, that ditchwater smell. In fact, she could remember it so distinctly that it was as though it was right in front of her…

And then her swords shifted enough so that she could see where she was walking, and she realized that the bearer of the smell really was right in front of her.

"Hmm?" Go Seul perked, shifting her weapons so she could get a better look as she caught sight of Erubetie, the girl's distinct hair and outfit revealing her presence even though she could only see the girl from behind and she was nearly a block ahead.

Wait, if she was that far ahead, just how bad did the delinquent smell up close if she could still identify her all the way back here!

Still, Go Seol's curiosity was sparked, and she slowed down, ducking behind a light pole as best she could with both her arms full and her glasses sliding on her nose.

Maybe now was the chance to figure out the mystery of the odd smell, Go Seul decided to herself, perking at the thought. After all, she had been thinking about finding something exciting to indulge in, and here was an adventure just waiting to happen.

School could wait for a bit. This would probably be way more fun!

*Scene Break*

Jae Gu couldn't help but wonder just how he had gotten into this situation. After all, it wasn't like he deliberately went out of his way to seek female companionship. In fact, considering that he was a borderline misogynist it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that he actively attempted to avoid the other gender as much as possible.

Well, even he could admit that he wasn't very good at avoiding women. Considering the fact that just about anyone he could assign the title 'friend' to was almost invariably a woman, and that he had a girlfriend, and most of the girls he actually considered friends could also have the title 'friends with benefits' it could be said that Jae Gu was actually very bad at avoiding women.

When he put it like that in his head, it actually put his present circumstances into perspective.

"Just what are you planning on doing with Piggy?" Dal Dal demanded of him, pouting up at him from where she had actively latched onto his arm. She managed to maintain that position even as the two of them walked through the Wilds, the hallway full of after school activity as the students made their way to whatever club they were a part of. The constant looks and giggles, combined with the occasional flash and click of a phone taking a picture of him made him uncomfortable, but he had dealt with that kind of behavior before.

The fact that none of them had tried to attack him made the experience a lot easier to deal with than the last time he had visited his girlfriend at her school. Hellgondo students could be just as gossipy and violent as Wilds students, but they were also a lot less restrained about certain things.

"What do you mean, 'what am I planning to do'?" Jae Gu asked the shorter girl attached to him as he walked. "You just showed up at the last bell and grabbed me," he continued, reiterating the situation as he had experienced it. "Then you said I should blow off some kind of date with Moon Young Sunbae to take you on a picnic. I have no idea what you think is going on."

"You shouldn't lie," Dal Dal scolded him, scowling cutely, in her ever so humble opinion anyway, up at him. "I heard you yesterday. You and that pig are planning on going on some kind of date after school! As your future girlfriend, I can't stand by and let you cheat like that."

"I'm not sure what you think is going to happen," Jae Gu told her, affixing her with a somewhat perplexed look. "Both with the date, and this 'future girlfriend' bit. But I think you have the wrong idea about a lot of different things."

"There's no need to be shy," Dal Dal assured him. She made sure that she kept her pout up, even though inside she was doing a credible imitation of the Cheshire Cat's grin. This was just like in the manha, the cute girl and her boyfriend chatting after school. Oh, how enjoyable her high school life had become! Jae Gu was even warming up to it, she could feel it. After all, if he really did mind her presence, surely he would have asked her to let go by now? It wasn't like he was just used to clingy girls and had learned how to ignore them completely to the point where he almost didn't notice their presence.

That would be ridiculous.

"Would you let go please?" Jae Gu muttered, though he sounded halfhearted at best with the request. "You're acting like Alma Elma."

"That slut?" Dal Dal growled, her face twisting in a scowl, though she made sure to ignore the first part of the statement so she could both focus on scorning her newest admirer as well as continue to increase the skinship between her and her future man. "Don't compare me to her like that!"

"Well, it is a bit different," Jae Gu acknowledged as his gaze honed in on his destination. "You haven't tried to touch me anywhere inappropriate yet, so that counts for something…"

"Wait," Dal Dal couldn't help but feel that there was something inherently wrong with that confession as she looked up at Jae Gu in confusion. "Tried to touch you…"

"Oi," A new voice interrupted Dal Dal's thoughts before they could reach their conclusion. Dal Dal looked up, confused, just in time for a pair of gloves to impact her in the face. "Don't you have any shame, Pinky?"

"Piggy," Dal Dal bristled, very much like the cat whose ears she was wearing. "What was that for?" Dal Dal realized suddenly that the gloves were less important than other things she could be condemning her rival for. "And what do you think you're doing, trying to schedule a date with my future man!"

"It's not a date," Moon Young told her dryly, giving the shorter girl a flat look. "And he's not your future man." The boxer sighed, shaking her head as she did so. "Do you even know the meaning of 'restraint'?"

"Not when it comes to love!" Dal Dal proclaimed, releasing her hold on Jae Gu and folding her arms in a triumphant pose. "Now back off! I won't be letting you try to sneak any lovey-dovey time in by yourself with my Jae Gu!"

"It's not lovey-dovey time," Moon Young snapped back, fighting back an embarrassed blush at Dal Dal's implications. She hurriedly pointed to a corner of the room as she continued. "And we're not even alone!"

"Oh," Jae Gu brightened slightly and smiled as he followed Moon Young's gesture to discover who else was present. "In Gyi Sunbae! You came too?"

Jae Gu was happy that she had come, even though he had originally meant for this session to just be with him and Moon Young. He waved slightly to the other girl who was sitting quietly on a bench to the side, her bag in her lap.

'He's waving at me!' In Gyi's inner maiden declared, fanning herself frantically as she tried to cool herself down before she overheated. 'What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!'

Externally, In Gyi simply gave her underclassman a cool look, before glancing to the side in a cold manner which allowed her hair to cover up the slight blush that she couldn't stop from forming.

'Whatever I should have done it shouldn't have been that!' she wailed to herself. 'What if he thinks I'm some weird girl!'

Jae Gu wasn't put off by the gesture, and instead just smiled at his Sunbae. He was starting to get used to his cool Sunbae's actions, and even if it was off putting to most he had a better judge of In Gyi's moods by now.

"Tsk," Dal Dal hissed, putting a thumb to her chin as she realized that there was even more unwanted people present. "Even the Queen's here? What kind of date is this?"

"And like I keep saying," Moon Young scowled, "It's not a date at all!" She considered listing all the reasons why what was going on didn't count as any kind of romantic interlude, before sighing to herself. There really wasn't any point catering to the Tae Kwon Doist's misconceptions. "Anyway," she focused back on Jae Gu, giving him a once over. "Are you going to practice like that?"

"Er," Jae Gu gave his school uniform a once over, before shrugging embarrassedly. "Well, I do have a change of clothes for working out, but considering what happened the last time I tried to use a bathroom at school I figured it would probably be best to avoid them until they have a men's room ready."

In Gyi managed to conceal a small embarrassed cough.

"Hmm," Moon Young considered his words carefully, before nodding gravely. If one attempt gone wrong ended with him being slated to fight one of the best fighters in the school on public television, outed him as a former delinquent, and set Hellgondo and Wilds at each other's throats then yeah, maybe it would be best not to tempt fate into making things worse. "Well, you might have a point there. So you're going to exercise like that then?"

"It's fine," Jae Gu admitted, before casually starting to take off his clothes, starting with his tie. Moon Young managed to prevent herself from swallowing harshly, though Dal Dal had less success as she squealed happily. "I can work out in my undershirt, and I do the laundry every night anyway. I'll just have to make sure to clean my uniform extra thoroughly."

"Y-yeah," Moon Young agreed, watching nervously as he pulled off his dress shirt, revealing his bare arms and the slightly faded muscle tee that he had on beneath his uniform. "W-well," she coughed, and realized she was blushing slightly. "Let's take a look at you then…"

"What are you doing, Piggy?" Dal Dal screeched as Moon Young started to squeeze at Jae Gu's upper arms and shoulders. The young man seemed curious about the older girl's actions, but didn't protest.

"Checking his muscles," the boxer admitted shamelessly, pursing her lips as she probed his body. "Trying to get a judge of where he is physically." As the daughter of a former boxer who now owned a professional gym, Moon Young was familiar with just how to act as a personal trainer as well as a fighter herself. "I need to know what I'm starting with."

"Starting with?" Dal Dal echoed suspiciously crossing her arms as Moon Young continued to shamelessly feel up her future man. "What is going on here?"

"Well," Jae Gu began, also blushing slightly as Moon Young continued to touch him. "I asked Moon Young Sunbae to show me the basics of professional fighting. I don't think I really know enough about the rules to really get in a ring right now…"

"In the ring?" In Gyi prompted, sitting up straighter as she turned her full attention on the younger man. She was even interested enough to stop muttering death curses at the boxer as she continued to run her hands all up and down her Jae Gu. "I thought you…"

"Well," Jae Gu admitted slowly, understanding what the Queen was referring to. "I know that I don't really want to fight anymore," he admitted giving In Gyi a brief look out of the corner of his eye. "And I try not to get involved in street fights. But someone pointed out that professional fighting isn't like that. It's safer, and less likely to get me injured or in trouble. And if you're good at it, you can even use it as a job. If it won't hurt me, and it might be able to help my brother and sister, and if I'm already kind of good at fighting, it might not be a bad idea to try it. And since I'm already registered for the Wilds League…"

"So Jae Gu asked me yesterday to give him some training, not just physically but on protocol and stuff," Moon Young finished for him, pursing her lips slightly. Should she take advantage of the situation to run her hands over his abs, or should she keep this professional? With a deep breath, she decided not to violate her pride as a trainer and fighter by giving in to childish groping impulses.

Not now anyway. Maybe later. When it was just the two of them alone…

"Who needs training on protocol?" Dal Dal wondered out loud, glaring at Moon Young as the boxer finally pulled back, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she studied Jae Gu critically. "It's just a match. You probably start it just the same as with street fights, right? How different could it be?"

"Well, unless the first rule that Moon Young is going to go over is to always make sure your book bag is zipped up properly so that if you use it as a club you don't accidently spill all your school supplies then I guess it's going to be a little different," Jae Gu pointed out and Dal Dal blinked at the oddly specific example.

"Really?" the short girl couldn't help but ask, unsure if her Jae Gu was being serious or not.

"Nothing takes the fight out of an enemy like a science text book to the head," Jae Gu nodded sagely.

"Huh," Dal Dal rubbed her chin contemplatively. "So there is a practical use for those things…"

"Also, key rings make for great projectile weapons, as long as you aim for the face," Jae Gu went on. "And if you absolutely have to throw someone at a wall, aim for the glass parts. It makes for a great combo. Oh, and if you can sneak up behind someone on a staircase…"

"Yeah, I get the impression that we're going to be starting at the ground floor for these lessons," Moon Young interrupted, a little disturbed by the number of downright vicious tactics that Jae Gu was used to. "Well, on the plus side your muscles are good. A little weird, but good."

"Weird?" In Gyi prompted, running her eye over the boy in order to enjoy the view, er, appreciate the diagnosis!

"Yeah," Moon Young nodded, puzzling through her evaluation. "Most fighters have pretty specialized muscles. They spend most of their time training to do specific moves after all. You have those, Jae Gu," she admitted, "but the rest of your body is in pretty good shape too."

"Maybe because of my part time job?" the boy suggested, pursing his lips at the conclusion. Moon Young hummed at that.

"You might be on to something," she admitted. "Most fighters only spend their time training for fights. If you have a normal labor intensive job, that would generalize pretty well too."

"Well, that's good to know, but what does it mean for professional fighting?" Jae Gu ventured, putting away his muscle distribution as the trivia it appeared to be.

"It means that we won't have to focus too much on physical conditioning," Moon Young explained. She gestured around the small gym that they had taken residence in. "A lot of these equipment is just to get the fighter in shape. If you're already in good condition we can focus on matches themselves. So," she continued moving on with the planned lessons. "Just how much do you know about a professional match?"

"Er," Jae Gu began to rub his head embarrassedly, glancing to the side. "Um, they're broken in to rounds, and you're not supposed to hit the other person until the bell rings?" He tried to recall any other elements of a match that he might have caught out of the corner of his eye on the television while preparing breakfast for his siblings. "Oh, don't they have pretty girls in skimpy clothing holding up signs with numbers or something in between?"

He was treated to a rather blank stare from all three of his Sunbae at that, and Jae Gu got the distinct impression that he was embarrassing himself in some way. Alice had a lot of fun evoking that sensation at times, so he was rather familiar with it.

"Okay," Moon Young finally concluded. "Let's start from the beginning."

*Scene Break*

Go Seul had decided that when it came to following someone discreetly without them noticing you than having an arm full of swords and spears was probably not the best choice of gear. She grunted again as she tried to peer out from behind a corner and ended up catching one of her cases against the edge, leveraging herself out in the open briefly before she caught sight of the newspaper box nearby and took advantage of it so she could crouch, nominally out of sight if an outsider observer ignored all the boxes and sticks poking up from behind the silhouette.

Go Seul could recognize that she was being a bit silly at this point, but her curiosity had driven her to follow Erubetie for most of the day, and there was no reason to stop now just because she was embarrassing herself.

When she had started her stalking episode, she had been curious as to just what a delinquent got up to during the day. She had heard stories and seen delinquents acting up on dramas and stuff, but did they really do things like skipping school, smoking in abandoned buildings, lounging in from of convenience stores, and mugging middle schoolers for cigarette money?

She had to find out! It was for science, er, research into the lifestyle of her only male classmate!

When Erubetie had walked right past the gate to Hellgondo High, Go Seul had nodded to herself happily. Myth that all delinquents skipped school was confirmed!

However, it was what Erubetie skipped to do which slowly spawned and ever growing confusion and heightened sense of curiosity.

First, the other girl had gone to the park. Not to harass joggers, but so that she could start picking up litter after having pulled a garbage bag out of one of her pockets.

Then, after she had finished the park, the delinquent had gone to a convenience store, but rather than lounging around smoking, she had planted a tree in the small plot of undeveloped land next to it.

After that, she had started walking up and down the streets of the town. However, rather than mugging innocent school kids, she had been sowing grass seeds and then putting down protective screening on all the open squares that the city had set up in regular intervals so that they could have trees lining the roads.

'This isn't what I was expecting at all…' Go Seul hummed to herself, staring after Erubetie with wide, shining eyes. 'She keeps doing such kind things. Could it be… Could it be that she's actually a nice person?'

She had such high expectations for delinquents, too. They had seemed so cool, if shady, when they had first shown up at Wilds. And when Erubetie had fought, she had been so strong too! Taking down two girls at once, defending herself against Go Seul so easily despite the fact that she knew she was strong. And now, here Erubetie was, going around doing so much to make the world a better place.

Maybe she had been wrong, to think bad about Erubetie. Maybe she was actually a good person, someone that was just misunderstood, someone who was truly a saint among squalor. Maybe…

"What do you think you're doing?" Go Seul was interrupted in her growing admiration of the poor misunderstood delinquent Queen of Slimes by the voice of the Queen herself. She perked, poking her head up from above the newsbox so she could see who the other girl was addressing.

"Eh?" a young man in a school uniform that Go Seul didn't recognize grunted. Erubetie had moved to stand in front of him and another boy, probably his friend Go Seul rationalized. The two had a lazy and disrespectful look to them, their shirts un-tucked and ties loosened as they slouched. "What the hell you want?"

"I said, what do you think you're doing?" Erubetie repeated, her contralto low and unchanging as she confronted the two. She lifted an arm with languid grace to point behind the two. Go Seul followed the gesture to see an empty coffee can rolling across the ground behind the two. "Do you think you can just get away with littering?"

'Littering?' Go Seul repeated, starting to comprehend the situation. It seemed that one of the two other delinquent looking boys had probably thrown their empty can away when he was finished, and now Erubetie was confronting them as the agent of goodness and justice that she truly was in order to help preserve the peace and beauty of the city!

"Littering?" the first boy scoffed, and the second one laughed. "Do we look like we care about some stupid crap like that?"

"Heh," the second one agreed. He took his own can, some kind of soda, and theatrically tilted it up to drain the rest of its content. Then, he deliberately lifted it at arm's length away before releasing it. Go Seul could hear the clang from where she was hiding. "Oops."

"Pick those up," Erubetie ordered them softly.

"Or what?" The first boy leered, taking in the swimsuited girl with an obvious leer. "What are you going to do about…"

He was cut off as Erubetie reached out casually, grabbed his wrist, and twisted. He gave a strangled cry as she forced him to spin until he was facing the ground, his arm high and twisted above him as she forced it up.

"The hell are you…" the second boy yelped, reacting as his friend was deadlocked right in front of him by trying to throw a sloppy punch at the girl. She reacted, and he soon found himself in the exact same position as his friend, the two of them groaning and crying out as she cruelly manipulated their limbs.

"Pick them up," Erubetie ordered, "and then throw them away."

"You crazy bitch!" the first boy shouted, and then he let out a high pitched moan.

"That was one," Erubetie told them, and Go Seul managed to catch sight of the way the Queen of slimes had bent the boy's finger. "You have nine more. That gives you nine seconds to pick it up."

"Fine, fine!" the boy screamed, scrambling with his free hand to grab the coffee can that had rolled almost out of his reach. His friend similarly picked up his can. "Just stop! I'll do it."

Go Seul watched, blinking as he jaw dropped as Erubetie than maneuvered the two of them so they could duck walk still bent over by their arms to the row of garbage cans and recycling bins. The two boys fumbled, before finally putting the garbage into one of the bins.

"There, you crazy bitch, now let us go…. Ahhhh!" the boy started to beg, before another high pitched scream erupted as Erubetie dislocated another of his fingers.

"That's the general waste bin," she declared ominously. "And those cans were recyclable."

"Are you fucking kidding…" the second boy declared, before he cried out as well.

"Er…" Go Seul mumbled as she watched Erubetie start to administer terribly disproportional punishment to the two for the crime of littering. "Maybe she's not that nice of a person after all," she concluded.

*Scene Break*

Moon Young stretched with a contented sigh as she made her way home.

'That had gone pretty well, actually,' she decided as she made her way up the stairs. Her family business, a gym and professional trainer for boxing, was on the eight floor of a business complex, so she had a lot of stairs to make use of. Sometimes she would take her workout outside of the gym and use the stairs for jogging purposes, but for now she took them at a more leisurely pace.

All said and done, the meeting with Jae Gu had been rather satisfactory for her. They had only had an hour before he had had to make his way back to his job. His boss had been willing to give him more time off, true, but Jae Gu had admitted to needing the funds too much to take off any more than that one hour.

It must be hard to train for an upcoming match while simultaneously taking care of your family, Moon Young realized as she climbed. In a way, it sort of made her feel bad about her life. She trained, yeah, but she did that as a hobby, for fun. When she finished her school she could come home, take her time, do her homework, and then practice some mitts and occasionally help out with the family business. It almost made her feel like she was living a life of leisure or something.

Well, at least it was nowhere near as bad as the lifestyle Queen lived, Moon Young decided.

Still, even as she made it to her floor and let herself in to the gym she decided not to worry too much about it. It wasn't her fault that circumstances were the way they were. Maybe she could give Jae Gu a hand at work sometime, just to help out? Deciding to ask him about that tomorrow, she let herself into the gym.

"I'm back," she called out to her dad. She looked around, catching sight of her father by the punching bags. He was talking with someone who was just out of sight behind the bag, probably a gym member, or at least a potential one.

"Welcome home, Moon Young," her dad called, smiling broadly at her. Despite the fact that she had just returned, he started to waive her over. "Now get over here and give me a hand with this new customer!"

Moon Young sighed, palming her forehead as her father gruffly usurped her post school free time. As a professional boxer, her dad sometimes had her help out with the younger crowd, partly as a trainer and partly as a publicity example of the effectiveness of their training methods.

'Well,' Moon Young thought to herself as she pasted a professional smile on and made her way to where her father was waiting for her. 'I was just thinking about how I had it too easy. Maybe this was fate?'

"Like I was saying," her father, Lee Moon Gwang, continued, turning back to the potential customer. "Our gym has all the modern facilities, and we have several experienced trainers. I myself was Asia's welterweight champion before I retired. We pride ourselves on our training skills here."

"Very good," Moon Young heard the voice of the unseen potential customer, and for a reason she couldn't quite objectify it sounded familiar; familiar, and strangely ominous… Moon Young stiffened as she realized that she recognized the voice. "So far the credentials of your gym are impressive."

"No way," Moon Young gaped, darting to her father's side so she could get a good view of the speaker and prove to herself that no, the universe really wasn't that twisted and cruel. The action let her make out that yes, it really was Granberia of the Heavenly Knights talking to her father, and proved that if there was a god, he really was a twisted jerk. "You!"

"Oh?" Granberia stood up straighter as she caught sight of the girl she had been in a match with just a few days ago. "You again?"

"Oh?" Moon Gwang glanced between the two, realizing that they knew each other. Judging from their reactions, they probably weren't very friendly either. Cautiously, he tried to get a feel for the situation. "I take it you two are familiar with each other?"

"Dad," Moon Young hissed, putting a hand up so she could whisper to her dad frantically. "She's a delinquent! She's in a gang with a bunch of other crazy girls! We can't have someone like that in here!"

"A gang, hmmm," Moon Gwang paused, rubbing his chin. Finally, he turned to Granberia, who was still watching them sternly. "So, have I mentioned the discounts we give to membership for referrals? For every one of your friends that join, it's twenty percent off of a month's dues!"

"Dad!" Moon Young gaped at her father as he continued trying to convince the Queen of Dragons to join his gym. "What are you doing?"

"Never underestimate the need for money, foolish girl," he growled at her in a whisper that was comically ineffectual at not being heard by Granberia, pounding Moon Young on the back in a show of companionship which was meant to get his daughter to be quiet and not scare away the customer. "If she has a gang, than she can just draw in some of the tougher customers, and we might get more members to join!"

"But…" Moon Young cried piteously, only to be interrupted by the delinquent in question.

"This is your gym, then?" the biker asked, focusing on Moon Young with an intense look that made her a little uncomfortable.

"Er, yeah," Moon Young admitted, rubbing her head nervously. 'She wasn't about to attack her, or stake out her gym so she could jump her alone to finish their fight or anything, was she?' Moon Young wondered frantically.

"Then I'd like to join, sir," Granberia declared immediately, turning back to Moon Gwang.

"Excellent!" the older man crowed happily. "Let's go ahead and get started on the paperwork."

"Huh?" Moon Young stared, not quite sure what had just happened, but somehow sure that this was only going to complicate her immediate future.


End file.
